Jury service UK

My GP wrote me a letter because I have diverticulitis and can't always sit for hours without rushing to the loo. There was no issue once it was explained.

Katjoy Contact your GP and ask for a letter stating your medical reasons for not being able to attend. I did that when I wasn't able to be on jury service. Then I emailed the court (the details will be on the jury service letter.

Both my husband and I were called u earlier in the year, we both asked to be excused on health grounds, we were both excused.

If you read your letter again, it explains how to ask to be excused, and you can do it online

I think you should be exempt if you explain.
Your age and the fact you suffer from kidney disease should be more than enough.
I have never in nearly 68 years been asked to do jury service, neither has my OH, but one of our SILs has been called twice.

Just a word of advice to anyone going on jury duty. Do you know anything about drugs? I didn't and someone tried to explain them to me in the jury room, looked at my face and gave up! I should have had a chat with our neighbour who is a policeman before I went.

I have been excused twice from jury service (in Scotland) , due to my chronic ill health. My GP was furious when I was called a second time.
There should be a form online, the details of which should be on your summons, where you can apply to be excused. Your GP or consultant has to provide a letter, stating you are unfit.

I have had the misfortune to be called three times from three different parts of the country. There is a lot of sitting around and you are not necessarily chosen to serve on any particular jury. The trials themselves are not like you see on TV with all the tedious procedural stuff and delays edited out.

My first call came when I was very young and I was chosen to serve at a murder trial. I found it very upsetting.

The other two times I was called for trials for shoplifting, assault and possession of drugs.

I’ve been called a couple of times and found it interesting, though nothing like the slick TV courtroom dramas we are used to. I was hoping to be entertained with something like Rumpole and the Penge Bungalow Murders but mostly it was tiresome ABH - two blokes having fisticuffs in the pub, that kind of thing. Seeing what passes for jury deliberation should be a deterrent to anyone tempted to misbehave.

That's why DS1 was disappointed.

I always wanted to be on jury duty, but was never asked

I have just been in this situation and emailed them and got a quick response as in i was excused and my only excuse was i was 73 and just did not want to do it

The urinary problems should be enough. Court sitting can be long. You would have to be asking the clerk to ask the judge for repeat short adjournments to go to the toilet.

Reply to the summons either online or by letter explaining your circumstances with a hopital letter in support. You are almost past the age of being called which is 75 so I doubt this will come up again.

www.gov.uk/jury-service/delaying-or-being-excused-from-jury-service

There's no automatic exemption for those over 70, but individuals in that age range can request to be excused if they feel unable to serve and you clearly have good reason.

According to the Citizens Advice Bureau online, you are entitled to say you do not wish to serve on a jury if you are over 71. I would double check this if I were you but I am sure you can apply for exemption in your particular case.

Contact them and explain.

DS1, who is disabled with poor mobility, was called and when he explained his mobility issues was told that they would make an application to excuse him.

He was very disappointed as be was keen to do it and he thought they would provide a taxi. Apparently the 12 miles distance was too big.