Do You Qualify?
To qualify for jury duty, there are three important requirements that you must meet:
- you must be at least 19 years old;
- you must be a resident of British Columbia; and
- you must be a Canadian citizen.
If for any reason you do not qualify, you still must complete the jury certification form and mail it to the sheriff using the envelope provided.
Why You May Not Qualify for Jury Duty
The Jury Act sets out the circumstances in which you are disqualified from serving as a juror. Some examples include:
- you are not a resident of British Columbia;
- you are not a Canadian citizen;
- you are under the age of 19;
- you are a police officer, lawyer or employee of certain government agencies;
- you are charged with committing a crime that could result in a fine of more than $2,000 or imprisonment for one year or more;
- you have been convicted of a crime within the previous five years where you were imprisoned for one year or more or where there could be a fine of more than $2,000;
- you are an employee of the Legal Services Society or of a funded agency, as defined by the Legal Services Society Act;
- you are subject to a mental or physical weakness that would not allow you to fulfill your duties as a juror; and
- you cannot speak, understand or read the language that will be used at the trial. You will not be disqualified from jury duty if you can receive help from a person or device that is approved by the court.
More Information
For more information about why you may be disqualified from jury duty, please visit:
