Jury Service

Jury Service in Victoria

Juries form an integral part of our legal system. They are made up of citizens randomly chosen from the electoral register, and serve as a means for non-legal (or 'lay') members of our community to participate in the administration of justice.

Trial by jury is a fundamental part of our democracy as it provides an opportunity for citizens through their role as a juror:

• to protect an individual’s rights and involve the community in the administration of justice
• ensure that the application of the law is consistent with community conscience; and
• provides a formal mechanism that links the community to the criminal justice system

Critically, when it comes to a criminal trial, jurors must determine whether the accused is guilty as charged. In civil trials, the question to be determined is who is at fault.

The Victorian jury system and its administration operates pursuant to the Juries Act 2000. The Act provides for the operation and administration of a system of trial by jury that:

• equitably spreads the obligation of jury service amongst the community;
• makes juries more representative of the community: and
• permits the timely adoption of new technologies for the selection of persons for jury service

The efficient management of Victoria's jury system is the responsibility of the Office of the Juries Commissioner, which is located in the Victorian County Court Complex at 250 William Street, Melbourne.  

For more information  please see the Jury Service website