Martin Partington: Spotlight on the Justice System

On 20 August 2013, the Government announced that it plans to increase to 75 the upper age limit for jurors. Each year, about 178,000 people in England and Wales undertake jury service. According to the Justice Minister Damien Green – who made the announcement, the reform is designed to enable people – who in general are living longer – to continue to bring their life experience to the jury room. Certainly the proposal is welcomed by organisations representing the elderly.
But part of the motivation for the change is that there are, it seems, areas of the country where it has proved difficult to find the numbers of people required for jury service. The change will therefore increase the size of the pool from whom jurors can be drawn.
The change requires legislation, which will be introduced next year.
See https://www.gov.uk/government/news/upper-age-limit-for-jury-service-to-be-raised