If you receive a ‘Notice to prospective juror’ letter, it means you’ve been chosen randomly from the Queensland electoral roll to potentially serve as a juror on a trial.
The notice:
- includes a questionnaire you must complete to help the court determine your eligibility and availability for jury service
- explains when and where you’ll do your jury service if you’re summoned.
Getting a notice does not mean you’ll definitely serve on a jury. It’s just one of several steps in the jury selection process.
Completing your prospective juror questionnaire
Your notice includes a ‘Prospective juror questionnaire’.
Your answers to the questions tell the court if you’re eligible and available for jury service at the selected time.
What to do
1. Complete the questionnaire fully and truthfully.
You can complete the questionnaire either online or using the paper form you received in the post.
If you complete it online, you’ll need to include your juror number and court location which is on your notice.
You must complete the questionnaire even if you:
- may be ineligible for jury service
- aren’t available at the selected time
- intend to apply for an excusal.
2. Sign and date the questionnaire to declare that, to be best of your knowledge, your answers are correct.
3. Submit the questionnaire (with or without an excusal application) one of the following ways:
- online, including uploading supporting documents
- by email to the address on the questionnaire
- by post to the address on the questionnaire.
If you miss the deadline
The questionnaire must be received by the court that issued the notice by the due date.
If you miss the deadline, still submit the questionnaire online or email or post it to the court as soon as possible.
If you’ve lost your questionnaire
If you’ve lost your questionnaire, contact your nearest Supreme or District Court registry for assistance.
If you don’t complete or submit the questionnaire
The questionnaire is a legal document. It’s an offence to:
- not complete it fully and truthfully
- not return it by the specified date.
You may be fined or imprisoned if you fail to do so.
If you have work or family commitments
When you receive your prospective juror notice, you should:
- discuss the potential impact of jury service with your employer
- plan alternative family and caring arrangements in case you receive a summons.
You would probably need to attend court no more than two mornings a week, unless you’re empanelled on a trial.
If jury service would cause you or your employer unreasonable difficulties or financial hardship, you can apply to be excused.
Applying to be excused from jury service
The prospective juror questionnaire includes a section you can use to apply to be excused from jury service.
For example, you may have work or family commitments that would make it difficult or impossible to serve.
You’ll be advised of the outcome of your application by text message, email or post.
(In Queensland, jury service cannot be postponed.)
Collection of personal information
The personal details on your questionnaire are taken from the Electoral Commission Queensland (ECQ).
If your details are incorrect
If any of the details are incorrect, please provide the up-to-date information in your questionnaire responses. (You’ll also need to update your enrolment details with ECQ.)
Why we collect your information
We collect your phone number and email address so we can contact you to clarify details or provide information during your jury service period.
We also collect your occupation as it may be incorrect on the electoral roll. (If you’re unemployed or retired, list your last paid occupation.)
If you’re overseas
- If you’re overseas when you receive your prospective juror notice, you can:
- send an email to the court detailed in the notice
- ask anyone collecting your mail to mail the notice back to the court, along with a letter stating:
- the date you left the country
- how long you intend to be overseas
- your expected return date.
Important: Anyone collecting your mail cannot complete the prospective juror questionnaire on your behalf.
What happens next
If you’re eligible
If your questionnaire responses determine you’re eligible and available for jury service—or your application for excusal is declined—your name will go into a ‘second selection’.
If your name is randomly chosen in the second selection, you’ll receive a summons for jury service.
If you don’t hear anything
If you don’t hear anything before the jury service start date in your notice, it means your name wasn’t chosen in the second selection.
You won’t be required for jury service during the notice period.
