Jury jump
Question
I have been summoned to attend jury service, but its going to make life a nightmare for me. I have two small kids and a part-time job, but is this enough for them to let me off?
Answer
There are no hard and fast rules about deferrals and excusals from jury service. In general, it's down to the discretion of the summoning officer.
When you were summoned, the contact details of the officer would have been provided. You should contact them as soon as possible, laying out your case as you did in this question.
In terms of your job, there is no legal requirement that employers must allow employees time off for jury service. However, an employer who refuses to permit an employee time off work for jury service could be fined for contempt of court. An employee has no right to be paid while off work on jury service unless their contract allows for this, though the courts do provide some cover for loss of earnings, as well as travel expenses. You can download a breakdown of costs, as a .zip file, from her Majesty's Court Service.
Once again, there is no guarantee that you will get an excusal or deferment, but you can only ask and put your case as strongly as you can. For further information and advice contact Citizens' Advice.
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Question answered by CAB
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