Jury Act 1977

If a person fails to attend for jury service at a court or coronial inquest, a record of that fact is to be made on the relevant panel by order of the court, of the coroner holding the inquest or of any court in which trials for which the panel was prepared are held.

The sheriff shall serve, on a person who is recorded under subsection (1) as having failed to attend for jury service, a notice to the effect that, if the person does not desire to have the matter referred to a court, the person—

pay to an officer specified in the notice at a place and within a time specified in the notice an amount of penalty equal to 10 penalty units for that failure if dealt with under this section, or

show cause to the sheriff within the time specified in the notice why a penalty should not be imposed for that failure.

The sheriff may require a person who shows cause under subsection (2) (b) to verify the person’s statements by statutory declaration.

If the sheriff determines that a person has not shown reasonable cause under subsection (2) (b) for the person’s failure to attend for jury service, the sheriff shall inform that person accordingly and specify a further period of time within which the person may pay the amount of penalty referred to in subsection (2) (a).

A person served with a notice under subsection (2)—

has the right to decline to be dealt with under this section, and

shall be deemed to have declined to be so dealt with if the person does not show reasonable cause under subsection (2) (b) for the person’s failure to attend for jury service within the time specified in the notice and if the person fails to pay the relevant amount of penalty within the time specified in the notice or within such further time as may, under subsection (4) or in any particular case, be allowed by the sheriff.

Where the relevant amount of penalty is paid pursuant to subsection (2) (a), no person shall be liable for any further proceedings for that failure to attend for jury service.