Jurors may apply once to defer their jury attendance if attending Jury Service on the initial summons date would cause undue hardship or serious inconvenience. Applying to defer jury service is a commitment to attend another date and within six months of the initial summons.
The flexibility to postpone jury service provides more time to make any necessary arrangements to attend at a later date. It is therefore crucial to consider the deferral date carefully as this is the date the person has confirmed they are available to attend.
Some reasons for deferring include:
- Employment or business commitments.
- Enrolled student with study commitments.
- Health concerns.
- Important commitment.
- Moving to a different district.
- Personal inconvenience.
- Planned travel.
- Primary carer responsibilities.
Employers, family members or court staff are not able to nominate a deferral date on the summoned persons behalf. It is important that the summoned person chooses the date and makes the necessary arrangements to attend.
Courts do not sit on public holidays and have a two-week mid-year break and annual recess over the Christmas and New Year period. Contact the court location on your summons for guidance of these dates.
Changes sometimes occur to trial dates, and regional circuit courts have less frequent sittings. In these circumstances a person is summoned for the next available court sitting date after the nominated deferral date.
Applying for Deferral
Applications for deferral must be applied for well in advance of the attendance date and allow up to 7 business days for the summoning officer to assess and respond to the application.
The application requires the reason for deferring and to nominate a future date to attend starting on a Monday and within 6 months of the original summons date.
The quickest way to apply is online by logging into the Jury WA Portal using the summons number located on the Jury Summons and your date of birth.
Alternatively complete the Application for Deferral which is included with the Jury Summons information package and follow the submission options for email, post or delivery in person.
Deferral Granted - reminders
If the application for deferral is granted, and a mobile and or email address has been provided then the summoned person is sent a courtesy reminder message six weeks prior to the nominated deferral date. Contact the summoning court immediately if the deferral date is no longer suitable regarding any options. If the summons has not yet been issued there may be time to change the date.
When the new deferred summons is issued approximately five weeks before the jury attendance date, another notification message is sent which contains the new deferred jury summons number and is used to log into the Jury WA Portal.
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