Juries Act 1974

Juries Act 1974^[1]

Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title	An Act to consolidate certain enactments relating to juries, jurors and jury service with corrections and improvements made under the Consolidation of Enactments (Procedure) Act 1949.
Citation	1974 c. 23
Territorial extent	England and Wales
Dates
Royal assent	9 July 1974
Status: Amended
Text of statute as originally enacted
Revised text of statute as amended

The Juries Act 1974^[1] (c. 23) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. According to its long title, the purpose of the act is "to consolidate certain enactments relating to juries, jurors and jury service with corrections and improvements made under the Consolidation of Enactments (Procedure) Act 1949." Among others, the act states who is eligible for jury service in England and Wales, who is disqualified, and who may be excused.

Under the provisions of the act, any individual is qualified to serve as a juror or be called upon for jury duty in the Crown Court, High Court or county courts if:

1. they are registered as a parliamentary or local government elector,
2. they are between the ages of 18 and 75,
3. they have been ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for any period of at least five years since the age of 13, and
4. they are not otherwise ineligible or disqualified.^[2]

Section 17 of the act re-enacts with modifications the provisions of section 13 of the Criminal Justice Act 1967,^[3] allowing majority verdicts in England and Wales: in the Crown Court or High Court, one juror may dissent without resulting in a hung jury if the jury consists of at least ten persons, or two if there are at least eleven; and at least seven must agree in the County Court regardless of size.^[4] Normally there are twelve, and the minimum size is eight.