Juries Act 1974

20 [F1 Offences: failure to attend, serving while disqualified etc] E+W

(1) Subject to the provisions of subsections (2) to (4) below—

(a) if a person duly summoned under this Act fails to attend (on the first or on any subsequent day on which he is required to attend by the summons or by the appropriate officer) in compliance with the summons, or

(b) if a person, after attending in pursuance of a summons, is not available when called on to serve as a juror, or is unfit for service by reason of drink or drugs,

he shall be liable to a fine not exceeding [F2 level 3 on the standard scale].

(2) An offence under subsection (1) above shall be punishable either on summary conviction or as if it were criminal contempt of court committed in the face of the court.

(3) Subsection (1)(a) above shall not apply to a person summoned, otherwise than under section 6 of this Act, unless the summons was duly served on him on a date not later than fourteen days before the date fixed by the summons for his first attendance.

(4) A person shall not be liable to be punished under the preceding provisions of this section if he can show some reasonable cause for his failure to comply with the summons, or for not being available when called on to serve, and those provisions have effect subject to the provisions of this Act about the withdrawal or alteration of a summons and about the granting of any excusal [F3 or deferral].

(5) If any person—

(a) having been summoned under this Act makes, or causes or permits to be made on his behalf, any false representation to the appropriate officer with the intention of evading jury service; or

(b) makes or causes to be made on behalf of another person who has been so summoned any false representation to that officer with the intention of enabling the other to evade jury service; or

(c) when any question is put to him in pursuance of section 2(5) of this Act, refuses without reasonable excuse to answer, or gives an answer which he knows to be false in a material particular, or recklessly gives an answer which is false in a material particular; or

[F4 (d) knowing that he is disqualified under Part 2 of Schedule 1 to this Act, serves on a jury;] [F5 or

(e) knowing that he is not qualified for jury service by reason of section 40 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, serves on a jury,]

he shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine of not more than [F6 level 5 on the standard scale] in the case of an offence of serving on a jury when disqualified and, in any other case, a fine of not more than [F6 level 3 on the standard scale].

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 20 heading substituted (13.4.2015) by Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 (c. 2), ss. 71(2), 95(1); S.I. 2015/778, art. 3, Sch. 1 para. 56 (with Sch. 2 para. 3(a))

F2 Words substituted by Criminal Justice Act 1982 (c. 48, SIF 39:1), ss. 37, 38, 46 (with s. 47)

F3 Words inserted by Criminal Justice Act 1988 (c. 33, SIF 39:1), ss. 123(6), 170(1), Sch. 8 para. 16, Sch. 15 para. 46

F4 S. 20(5)(d) substituted (5.4.2004) by Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c. 44), ss. 321, 336, Sch. 33 para. 14; S.I. 2004/829, art. 2(1)(2)(g)

F5 S. 20(5)(e) and word inserted (3.2.1995) by 1994 c. 33, s. 168(2), Sch 10 para. 28; S.I. 1995/127, art. 2(1), Sch. 1, Appendix B

F6 Words substituted by Criminal Justice Act 1982 (c. 48, SIF 39:1), ss. 37, 38, 46 (with s. 47)