Jury Service Deferral Application Letter: Free Template and What to Include

If you need to apply to court to defer jury service citing genuine difficulty, a written letter is the recommended first step — it creates a clear record and shows you're pursuing the matter formally. Below is what a strong jury service deferral application should include.

What this letter needs to cover

• Address it to the Jury Central Summoning Bureau
• State the jury service reference number
• Set out the genuine reason why the proposed dates are difficult (work commitments, pre-booked holiday, medical appointment, etc)
• Propose alternative dates
• Note willingness to serve at the earliest convenient time

When jury service deferral is genuinely available

Deferral lets you postpone jury service to a more convenient date within the next 12 months, rather than being excused altogether — courts generally expect a genuine, good reason, such as a pre-booked holiday, medical treatment, exams, or significant work commitments that can't reasonably be rearranged.

What to include before you send it

• Your jury summons reference number
• The specific reason for requesting deferral
• Any supporting evidence — medical appointment confirmation, travel booking, or exam dates
• Proposed alternative dates within the next 12 months, if you have flexibility

Deferral vs excusal — an important distinction

Deferral simply moves your service to a later date; full excusal from jury service altogether is granted far more rarely and generally requires more exceptional circumstances. If your situation is genuinely just about timing, deferral is usually the right and more likely to succeed request.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I defer jury service more than once?
No — you can only ask to change the date of your jury service once.

How quickly do I need to respond to a jury summons if requesting deferral?
You should respond as soon as possible after receiving the summons, since late requests are harder to accommodate given court scheduling.

[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Your Postcode]
[Your Juror Number]
[Your Email Address]
Jury Central Summoning Bureau [or the office named on your summons]
[Office Address]
[Office Postcode]
[Date]

Dear Jury Officer,

Subject: Request to defer jury service – Juror Number: [Your Juror Number]

I am writing to ask to defer my jury service, which is due to start on [Date] at [Name of Court].

I am willing to serve, but I cannot attend on these dates because [e.g. I have a holiday booked / I am having medical treatment / I have exams / I cannot rearrange important work commitments]. I have enclosed:
• [e.g. My holiday booking confirmation]
• [e.g. A letter from my doctor with my treatment dates]

I can serve on these dates within the next 12 months:
• [e.g. 4 January 2027 to 22 January 2027]
• [e.g. 1 March 2027 to 19 March 2027]

Please confirm that my service has been deferred.

Yours sincerely,

[Your Signature]
[Your Printed Name]

[Note for the page: The Jury Central Summoning Bureau is for England and Wales. In Scotland and Northern Ireland, use the office named on your citation or summons.]