Jury Duty Exemption Requests

Do I need a letter from my GP?

The decision as to whether you qualify for exemption for jury duty is not made by a GP, but rather by the courts themselves. This means a letter is not always required in order to be exempt from jury duty, for example if you are caring for a relative. However, a letter, or a fit note, is usually necessary if you are asking for excusal on medical grounds. More information on excusal from jury duty can be found below. 

Excusal from jury duty (Scotland) – NHS (scotcourts.gov.uk)

Guide to Jury Service Eligibility and Applying for Excusal (PDF)

The form to apply for excusal can be found by clicking here (PDF)

What Does the GP Need to Do?

Assessing a patient’s fitness to serve as a juror is not part of a GPs duties in Scotland (the GP contract is different in England), however, most GPs in Scotland will oblige. A letter supporting an exception from jury duty is discretionary. It is only provided if your GP feels it is likely your medical condition will prevent you from serving effectively as a juror, or that serving as a juror may cause you harm.

GPs used to provide “soul and conscience” letters, however, these are increasingly less common and it is now likely that you will instead receive a letter from your GP that contains some limited information about your medical condition and why this may make you unable to serve as a juror. The court will then decide if this is reasonable (it is not the decision of your GP). Generally, GPs should not speculate but should provide only factual information. They cannot include information they are unable to verify.

How do I request a letter in support of my application for exemption?

We need to know what the condition is that prevents you from serving on a Jury. More importantly, we need to know why and how this condition prevents you from serving. Sometimes we might be able to accept a request without speaking to you; we suggest using the form below to let us know the various details. Sometimes we may call you to clarify some details.