JURIES ACT 2026

2026 CHAPTER 50

An Act to make provision about the constitution, qualification, summoning, selection and service of juries; the empanelling, conduct, discharge and verdicts of juries in criminal proceedings; offences and safeguards relating to jury service; and for connected purposes.

[16 August 2026]

The Lord Lieutenant, in exercise of the constitutional continuity and transitional legislative authority of the United Hampshire Realm, enacts as follows—

PART 1

JURY ELIGIBILITY AND QUALIFICATION

Eligibility for jury service

1 Jury service

(1) A person is liable for jury service in criminal proceedings in the Crown Court if the person is eligible under section 2 and is not disqualified under section 4.

(2) Jury service is a public duty. A person summoned must comply with the summons and with lawful directions of the court or jury officer.

(3) Nothing in this Act entitles a person to serve on a particular jury or prevents the court from excluding a person from a particular trial where fairness, impartiality or another rule of law requires it.

2 Eligibility

(1) A person is eligible for jury service if—

(a) the person is registered on a current United Hampshire parliamentary electoral register or another register prescribed for jury service;

(b) the person is within the age limits in section 3;

(c) the person holds membership where membership is required by electoral law for the registration relied upon; and

(d) the person is able, with reasonable adjustments where necessary, to understand the essential duties of a juror and communicate sufficiently for effective participation.

(2) Eligibility is determined at the time the person is required to attend for service, subject to any lawful correction of the source register.

(3) A person is not ineligible merely because the person holds public office, is a legal practitioner, works in policing or justice, or has specialist knowledge; any conflict or appearance of bias must instead be addressed for the individual proceedings.

3 Age

A person is eligible by age if the person has attained 18 years and has not attained 76 years on the date on which the person is required to attend for jury service.

4 Disqualification

(1) A person is disqualified from jury service if Schedule 1 applies.

(2) A person who knows or reasonably believes that the person is disqualified must disclose that fact to the jury officer as soon as practicable after receiving a summons.

(3) The court may determine a question of disqualification and may require proportionate evidence for that purpose.

5 Ineligibility for particular proceedings

A person must not serve on the jury for particular proceedings if the person—

(a) is a party, victim, witness, legal representative, investigator or decision-maker in the proceedings;

(b) has a direct personal interest in the outcome;

(c) has prior knowledge or involvement which creates a real possibility of bias that cannot fairly be managed; or

(d) is otherwise excluded by law or by a lawful ruling of the court.

6 Duty of disclosure

(1) A prospective juror must disclose any matter known to the prospective juror which may affect eligibility, disqualification, impartiality or ability to serve.

(2) Disclosure must be made through the route directed by the jury officer or court and must be handled confidentially so far as the administration of justice permits.

(3) A disclosure does not by itself establish that the person must be excluded.

7 Accessibility and effective participation

(1) LL Courts & Tribunals Service and the court must make reasonable adjustments necessary to enable an eligible juror to participate effectively, so far as compatible with a fair trial and the integrity and confidentiality of jury deliberations.

(2) Adjustments may include accessible documents, communication support, authorised technical assistance, altered timing, breaks or another proportionate arrangement.

(3) A person must not be excluded merely because participation requires an adjustment, unless the essential functions of a juror cannot be performed fairly even with reasonable adjustments.

PART 2

SUMMONING AND JURY ADMINISTRATION

Source lists and summonses

8 Jury source lists

(1) LL Courts & Tribunals Service must maintain a jury source list derived from the register or registers specified in section 2.

(2) The source list may contain only information reasonably necessary to identify, contact, summon and administer prospective jurors.

(3) Source-list information must be handled in accordance with data-protection, security and public-records law and must not be used for an unrelated purpose.

9 Random selection

(1) Prospective jurors must be selected from the jury source list by a method designed to be random and impartial.

(2) The selection method may be electronic, but it must be auditable and must not intentionally favour or exclude a person or group except as required by law.

(3) The jury officer must preserve a sufficient record to demonstrate the integrity of the selection process without publishing personal data unnecessarily.

10 Jury summons

(1) A jury officer may summon an eligible person to attend for jury service at a time and by a method specified in the summons.

(2) The summons must state—

(a) the authority under which it is issued;

(b) the date and time by which the person must respond or attend;

(c) the authorised attendance or participation arrangements;

(d) how to disclose ineligibility, disqualification, accessibility needs or a request for excusal or deferral; and

(e) the consequences of failing without reasonable excuse to comply.

11 Response to summons

A person summoned must, within the period stated in the summons—

(a) confirm the information reasonably required to establish eligibility and availability;

(b) disclose any known disqualification or material conflict;

(c) identify any reasonable adjustment required; and

(d) attend as directed unless excused, deferred or discharged.

12 Excusal and deferral

(1) A jury officer may excuse a person from a particular period of jury service or defer service where there is good reason.

(2) In deciding an application the jury officer must consider the public duty of jury service, the effect on the person, caring or work responsibilities, health, disability, safeguarding, pre-existing commitments and the practicability of service at another time.

(3) A refusal must give sufficient reasons and must identify any available review route.

13 Review of administrative decision

(1) A person may ask the court or a senior jury officer designated for the purpose to review a refusal of excusal, deferral or another material jury-administration decision.

(2) The reviewing authority may confirm, vary or set aside the decision.

14 Failure to attend

Where a person fails to respond or attend as required, the jury officer must first take reasonable steps to establish whether there is a good reason, service failure or accessibility issue before referring the matter for enforcement.

15 Electronic service and authentication

(1) A summons, notice or jury-administration communication may be served through an authorised electronic route.

(2) LL Courts & Tribunals Service must use proportionate identity, access and audit controls to protect jury information and prevent impersonation or unauthorised access.

(3) A platform-generated status alone is not conclusive proof of receipt where there is credible evidence of technical failure.

16 Jury administration records

LL Courts & Tribunals Service must maintain authoritative records of summonses, responses, excusals, deferrals, attendance, panel composition, jury selection and material administrative decisions in accordance with the applicable retention schedule.

PART 3

THE JURY IN CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS

Empanelling and trial management

17 Jury panel

(1) The jury officer must provide the court with a panel containing enough eligible prospective jurors to permit a jury to be selected fairly.

(2) Panel information disclosed to parties must be limited to what is necessary for lawful jury selection and trial fairness.

18 Selection of jury

(1) Subject to this Act and any other enactment, a jury consists of twelve jurors selected from the panel.

(2) Selection must be conducted openly before the court through a fair method that does not discriminate unlawfully.

(3) The court must resolve any eligibility, conflict or challenge issue before the juror is sworn where reasonably practicable.

19 Oath or affirmation

A juror must take the oath or make the affirmation prescribed by law before acting as a juror.

20 Challenge for cause

(1) A party may challenge a prospective juror for cause.

(2) The court must determine the challenge on evidence or information sufficient to establish a real ground affecting eligibility, disqualification or impartiality.

(3) A challenge must not be used to discriminate unlawfully or to conduct speculative inquiry into a prospective juror’s private life.

21 Stand-by

The prosecution may ask that a prospective juror stand by only with the leave of the court and only where the interests of justice require it; the power must not be used as a substitute for a challenge that should be determined openly.

22 Jury irregularity

(1) A defect in summoning, selection or information about a juror does not automatically invalidate proceedings.

(2) The court must determine whether the irregularity creates a substantial risk to trial fairness or the lawful constitution of the jury and must give any proportionate direction required.

23 Discharge of juror

(1) The court may discharge a juror before verdict where the juror becomes unable to continue, is disqualified, has committed serious misconduct, presents an unmanageable conflict or where discharge is otherwise necessary in the interests of justice.

(2) Before discharge for alleged misconduct, the court must act fairly and make only the inquiries necessary to decide the issue without intruding improperly into jury deliberations.

24 Continuation with fewer than twelve jurors

(1) After a juror is discharged, the trial may continue with the remaining jurors if at least nine jurors remain and the court is satisfied that continuation is in the interests of justice.

(2) If fewer than nine jurors remain, the jury must be discharged.

25 Separation, contact and security

(1) Jurors may separate when the court permits.

(2) Jurors must not discuss the case with any person outside the jury, receive private information about the case or permit unauthorised access to jury communications.

(3) The court and LL Courts & Tribunals Service must maintain proportionate arrangements for confidential juror communications, authorised participation and protection from interference.

26 Questions from jurors

The court must provide a clear route for jurors to ask questions about law, evidence, procedure or practical arrangements and must answer a material question in open court so far as fairness and law permit.

27 Directions and written materials

(1) The judge must give the jury the directions of law necessary to decide the case and must identify the issues and permitted routes to verdict.

(2) Written directions, agreed chronologies, verdict routes or other aids may be provided where they assist accurate and fair decision-making.

(3) A written aid must not replace the judge’s duty to give legally sufficient directions.

Verdicts

28 Unanimous verdict

The jury must seek to reach a unanimous verdict on every count or issue submitted to it.

29 Majority verdict

(1) The court may accept a majority verdict only after the jury has had at least two hours, or such longer period as the court considers reasonable having regard to the nature and complexity of the case, to deliberate after retiring to consider its verdict.

(2) A valid majority verdict is—

(a) where twelve jurors remain, a verdict on which at least ten agree;

(b) where eleven jurors remain, a verdict on which at least ten agree; or

(c) where ten or nine jurors remain, a verdict on which all but one agree.

(3) Before accepting a majority verdict the court must ask in open court for the number agreeing and disagreeing, without asking how individual jurors voted.

30 Recording verdict

The verdict, the number of jurors where relevant to a majority verdict, and any material ruling concerning the constitution or discharge of the jury must be recorded in the authoritative court record.

PART 4

JUROR CONDUCT, CONFIDENTIALITY AND OFFENCES

Protection of the jury process

31 Independent research prohibited

(1) A juror must not intentionally seek information about the case, a party, witness, lawyer, judge or relevant place or matter except through evidence and material lawfully presented in the proceedings.

(2) This includes searches, private enquiries, external databases, social-media research, artificial-intelligence tools and requests to another person to obtain information.

(3) Accidental exposure must be reported promptly to the court.

32 Unauthorised communication

A juror must not intentionally communicate with a person outside the jury about the substance of the case during the trial, except through a route authorised by the court.

33 Disclosure of deliberations

(1) A person must not intentionally disclose, solicit or obtain information about statements made, opinions expressed, arguments advanced or votes cast during jury deliberations, except as authorised by law for the investigation of an alleged offence, contempt or serious jury irregularity.

(2) This section does not prevent disclosure of a safeguarding concern, threat, technical failure or matter unrelated to the substance of deliberations through an authorised court route.

34 Recording and reproduction

A juror must not make or distribute an unauthorised audio, visual, screen, transcript or other record of jury deliberations or restricted jury material.

35 Interference with jurors

Nothing in this Act limits any offence of intimidating a witness or juror, perverting the course of justice, contempt of court, harassment or another offence applicable to interference with a juror.

Offences

36 Failure to comply with summons

(1) A person commits an offence if, without reasonable excuse, the person knowingly fails to comply with a jury summons after effective service and a reasonable opportunity to comply.

(2) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable on summary conviction to a community order or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months.

37 False statement

(1) A person commits an offence if the person knowingly or recklessly makes a materially false statement, or conceals a material fact, for the purpose of avoiding jury service or securing service when ineligible or disqualified.

(2) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to another sentence lawfully available for the offence.

38 Juror misconduct offences

(1) A juror commits an offence if, without reasonable excuse, the juror intentionally contravenes section 31, 32, 33 or 34.

(2) A person who intentionally solicits or obtains jury-deliberation information contrary to section 33 commits an offence.

(3) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to another sentence lawfully available for the offence.

39 Reasonable excuse and lawful authority

A person does not commit an offence under sections 36 to 38 where the act or omission was required or authorised by law or where the person proves a reasonable excuse, including a genuine emergency, material technical failure, accessibility barrier or safeguarding necessity where the conduct was proportionate.

PART 5

GENERAL AND FINAL PROVISIONS

Administration and interpretation

40 Practice directions and administrative guidance

(1) The Chief Justice may issue practice directions concerning jury trial management, consistent with this Act and the Criminal Procedure Rules.

(2) LL Courts & Tribunals Service may issue administrative guidance and forms for jury summoning and service.

(3) Guidance under this section must not alter eligibility, disqualification, jury size, verdict requirements or another matter fixed by enactment.

41 Criminal Procedure Rules

The Criminal Procedure Rules may make procedural provision for juror questionnaires, panel management, challenges, oaths or affirmations, discharge applications, majority verdict procedure, juror communications and other matters necessary to give effect to this Act.

42 Interpretation

In this Act—

“the court” means the Crown Court exercising criminal jurisdiction in the United Hampshire State;

“jury officer” means an officer of LL Courts & Tribunals Service authorised to perform jury-administration functions;

“LL Courts & Tribunals Service” means the body responsible for the administration of courts and tribunals in the United Hampshire State;

“member” has the meaning given by the law governing membership;

“parliamentary electoral register” means a register maintained under the Representation of the People Act 2026 for elections to the Parliament of the United Hampshire State;

“prospective juror” includes a person summoned or placed on a jury panel;

“working day” excludes Saturday, Sunday and a day prescribed as a public holiday for court administration.

43 Extent

(1) This Act extends to the United Hampshire State.

(2) It does not alter jury law or court procedure applying in England or Hampshire County.

44 Commencement

This Act comes into force on the day on which it is enacted.

45 Short title

This Act may be cited as the Juries Act 2026.

SCHEDULE 1

Section 4

DISQUALIFICATION FROM JURY SERVICE

Serious sentences

1 Long-term or life sentence

A person is disqualified for life if the person has at any time been sentenced by a competent court to imprisonment, detention or an equivalent custodial sentence for life or for a term of five years or more.

2 Recent criminal sentence

A person is disqualified for ten years beginning with the relevant sentence date if, within that period, the person has been sentenced by a competent court to—

(a) any immediate custodial sentence of less than five years;

(b) a suspended custodial sentence;

(c) a community order or equivalent community sentence; or

(d) another sentence prescribed by regulations as demonstrating a comparable current criminal-justice restriction.

Current criminal proceedings

3 Bail

A person is disqualified while on bail in criminal proceedings where the terms of bail require the person to surrender to a court or impose restrictions materially inconsistent with jury service.

4 Orders and equivalent sentences

For this Schedule, a sentence or order imposed by a competent court in England, Hampshire County or another recognised jurisdiction is treated as the corresponding United Hampshire sentence where its nature and seriousness are substantially equivalent.

Exceptions and records

5 Quashed convictions and pardons

A conviction or sentence which has been quashed, set aside or subject to a full pardon must not be relied upon for disqualification.

6 Rehabilitation and disclosure

The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 2026 does not prevent the limited use of conviction or sentence information necessary to determine jury disqualification, but access and disclosure must be confined to that purpose.

7 Evidence of disqualification

The jury officer or court may obtain or require only such records or confirmations as are reasonably necessary to determine whether this Schedule applies, and the information must be protected and retained in accordance with law.