Part VIII Amendments of Law Relating to Juries

120 Discretionary deferral of jury service.

The following section shall be inserted after section 9 of the Juries Act 1974—

9A Discretionary deferral.

1

If any person summoned under this Act shows to the satisfaction of the appropriate officer that there is good reason why his attendance in pursuance of the summons should be deferred, the appropriate officer may defer his attendance, and, if he does so, he shall vary the days on which that person is summoned to attend and the summons shall have effect accordingly.

2

If an application under subsection (1) above has been granted or refused, the powers conferred by that subsection may not be exercised subsequently in relation to the same summons.

3

Crown Court Rules shall provide a right of appeal to the court (or one of the courts) before which the person is summoned to attend against any refusal of the appropriate officer to defer his attendance under subsection (1) above.

4

Without prejudice to the preceding provisions of this section, the court (or any of the courts) before which a person is summoned to attend under this Act may defer his attendance.