For most people, jury duty arrives as an unexpected interruption rather than something they’ve ever planned for. One day you’re opening the post as normal, the next you’re being told that the justice system would quite like a couple of weeks of your time.
If you’ve never done it before, jury service can feel oddly intimidating. There’s a sense that you’re about to be dropped into something serious, formal, and unfamiliar, with very little idea of how it all works in practice. The reality is usually much more mundane, occasionally frustrating, sometimes fascinating, and only occasionally dramatic.
Here’s what jury duty in England and Wales actually involves, and what you should expect if you end up doing it.
How Jury Duty Works
Jurors are selected at random from the electoral register. If you’re summoned, the letter will come from HM Courts & Tribunals Service and will include dates, instructions, and a form asking whether you’re eligible.
Most people are eligible. You generally need to be between 18 and 75, on the electoral register, and not disqualified due to certain criminal convictions or legal roles. You can ask to defer if the timing genuinely doesn’t work, but outright refusals without a valid reason aren’t taken lightly.
Once confirmed, you’re legally required to attend.
The First Day At Court
The first day is usually the least dramatic part of the entire experience.
You’ll arrive at court, go through airport-style security, and be directed to a jury assembly area. This is typically a large waiting room with chairs, a TV, and a lot of other people wondering how long they’ll be there.
There’s a fair amount of waiting. Not everyone who turns up will actually be selected for a trial straight away. Some people are sent home on day one and told to call a number each evening to see if they’re needed the next day.
If you are selected, you’ll be called into a courtroom where names are drawn to form a jury of 12. Once empanelled, you’ll be sworn in and the trial process begins.
What A Typical Day Looks Like
Once a trial is underway, days follow a fairly predictable rhythm.
Court usually runs from mid-morning to mid-afternoon, with breaks built in. There’s far less sitting in court all day than TV dramas suggest. Legal arguments often happen while jurors are asked to leave the room, and delays are common.
You’ll spend time listening carefully, taking notes, and trying to absorb information that isn’t always presented in the clearest way. Witnesses, lawyers, and judges all have their own styles, and some are much easier to follow than others.
When court isn’t sitting, you’ll be waiting. Jury service involves a surprising amount of downtime.
What Jurors Are Expected To Do
Your job as a juror is straightforward in theory and harder in practice.
You must listen to the evidence presented in court, follow the judge’s legal directions, and reach a verdict based only on what you’ve heard in the courtroom. You’re not allowed to research the case, look things up online, visit locations involved, or discuss the trial with anyone outside the jury.
Judges take this very seriously. Even casual Googling can lead to a mistrial.
Deliberations happen in a private jury room, where all 12 jurors are expected to discuss the case openly and respectfully. You don’t need legal knowledge. You’re there to apply common sense to the facts as presented.
The Reality Of Jury Dynamics
This is the part nobody really prepares you for.
You’ll be deliberating with 11 strangers from different backgrounds, with different communication styles and different levels of confidence. Some people speak a lot, some barely speak at all. Some are decisive, others deeply cautious.
Most juries work things out sensibly, but it can be mentally tiring. The responsibility of helping decide someone else’s future is real, even if the case itself isn’t especially dramatic.
Disagreements are normal. You’re not expected to agree immediately, and you’re certainly not expected to abandon your view just to get home earlier.
Should You Volunteer To Be The Foreperson?
At the start of deliberations, the jury will usually be asked to choose a foreperson.
The foreperson’s role is administrative rather than powerful. They chair discussions, make sure everyone gets a chance to speak, and deliver the verdict in court. They don’t have any extra say over the outcome.
Whether you should volunteer depends on temperament rather than confidence. If you’re comfortable keeping discussions on track and speaking in court, it can make the process smoother. If the idea fills you with dread, there’s no obligation to put yourself forward.
Good forepersons are calm, organised, and neutral. Loud doesn’t equal effective.
Pay, Expenses, And Work
Jury service isn’t paid like a normal job, but you can claim allowances for loss of earnings, travel, and food, up to set limits. Many employers will continue paying you as normal, but they’re not legally required to do so beyond allowing you time off.
This can be one of the more stressful aspects for self-employed people or those without employer support, so it’s worth checking the details early.
Is It Worth It?
Jury duty is inconvenient, occasionally dull, and sometimes emotionally heavy. It’s also one of the few times most people get a close-up view of how the justice system actually functions.
You may leave frustrated by inefficiencies, surprised by how ordinary the process feels, or quietly proud that you took part in something that still relies on ordinary people showing up and paying attention.
It’s not something you’d choose to do for fun, but it’s rarely the ordeal people fear either.