Courts Act 1971

31 Summoning of jurors

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Part of this Act, the Lord Chancellor shall be responsible for the summoning of jurors to attend for service in the Crown Court, the High Court and county courts and for determining the occasions on which they are to attend when so summoned, and the number to be summoned.

(2) In making arrangements to discharge his duty under subsection (1) above the Lord Chancellor shall have regard to the convenience of the persons summoned and as to their respective places of residence, and in particular to the desirability of selecting jurors within reasonable daily travelling distance of the place where they are to attend.

(3) Subject to subsection (2) above, there shall be no restriction on the places in England and Wales at which a person may be required to attend or serve on a jury under this Part of this Act and in section 1 of the [1825 c. 50.] Juries Act 1825 (under which jurors' qualifications are related to issues triable in the county or other area in which they reside) for the words following " liable to serve on juries for the trial of all issues joined in " to the end of the section there shall be substituted the words " the Crown Court or the High Court or any county court ".

(4) Subject to the provisions of this Part of this Act, jurors shall be so summoned by notice in writing sent by post, or delivered by hand.

For the purposes of section 26 of the [1889 c. 63.] Interpretation Act 1889 (presumption as to receipt of letter properly addressed and sent by post) the notice shall be regarded as properly addressed if the address is that recorded in the jurors book, and a notice so addressed, and delivered by hand to that address, shall be deemed to have been delivered personally to the person to whom it is addressed unless the contrary is proved.

(5) A certificate signed by the appropriate officer and stating that a written summons under this Part of this Act, properly addressed and prepaid, was posted by him shall be admissible as evidence in any proceedings, and shall be so admissible without proof of his signature or official character.

(6) If it appears to the appropriate officer, at any time before the day on which any person so summoned is first to attend, that his attendance is unnecessary, or can be dispensed with on any particular day or days, the appropriate officer may withdraw or alter the summons by notice served in the same way as a notice of summons.

(7) Every written summons under this Part of this Act shall be accompanied by a notice stating the effect of subsections (1) to (4) of section 14 of the [1967 c. 80.] Criminal Justice Act 1967 (disqualification of ex-prisoners from serving on juries in criminal proceedings).