[English] - [Cymraeg]
Every single year, thousands of randomly selected people across England and Wales take part in jury service. This civic duty is a vital part of upholding a fair and impartial justice system and is a topic we often get asked about.
As we play our part in recognising Juror Appreciation Week this year, we’re looking back at our recent Inside HMCTS podcast episode, where we were joined by Craig Robb, Deputy Director of Crime Live Services, who talked us through many of your frequently asked questions.
After serving as a juror himself last year, he shared first-hand insights into the jury selection process, what to expect when you're called to serve, and why the role of a juror is so important.
The journey begins
When you're called for jury service, it all starts with a simple envelope through your door. As Craig explains, "the postman sticks the envelope through the door, you open it up, and it says, ‘you're being called for jury service at this court centre, on this date’."
This notification typically arrives well in advance, around nine weeks before your service date, giving you plenty of time to read the information and give your response. Unless there are valid reasons that could stop you from serving, you'll be expected to attend and fulfil your civic duty, but all applications to defer or excuse service are considered sympathetically and take individual circumstances into account.
The selection process
To be called for jury service, you must:
- have been resident in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, for a period of at least 5 years since the age of 13
- be a registered elector and appear on the electoral roll
- be aged over 18 and under 76.
Being called for jury service doesn't automatically mean you'll sit on a jury. The initial selection is entirely random, and once you arrive at court, there's a further process to select the jury panel for each trial, which again is random.
"From that pool, a random selection is chosen to sit on each and every jury trial that starts," Craig explains. The court calculates how many jurors they'll need based on scheduled cases, but circumstances can change. Sometimes cases settle at the last minute, or defendants who previously pleaded not guilty might change their plea, removing the need for a trial.
Despite these variables, most people called for jury service will participate in at least one trial.
Accessibility and inclusivity
An important aspect of jury service is its inclusivity. When asked if people with disabilities can serve on juries, Craig responds with an emphatic "Yes. Absolutely."
We are committed to ensuring that jury service is accessible to as many people as possible. For example, when the law was changed to allow British Sign Language interpreters to enter the jury deliberation room as a thirteenth person, we’ve worked tirelessly to put in place processes to enable Deaf people to serve as jurors following the first person to do it in July 2022.
No legal knowledge required
Many potential jurors worry about their lack of legal knowledge, but this isn't an issue. As Craig explains, "The point is you're not supposed to be a lawyer. If they needed criminal law experts, they'd fish from a different pool."
Jury service calls for random citizens from all walks of life, "You can have firemen, you can have teachers, you can have ministers, there is no requirement for any particular knowledge." The jury receives all necessary information during the trial to help them reach a collective decision and are asked to do so solely by considering the evidence presented to them in the courtroom, the argument of both sides and the directions of the judge.
A rewarding experience
Having served as a juror himself, Craig offers encouragement to those about to start jury service: "Go do it. I thought it was a fantastic experience, one of the most eye opening. It was challenging, but it was overall a fantastic experience, and one that I'm actually quite proud of."
He reassures potential jurors not to feel anxious, highlighting that the responsibility is shared among the jury, and judges provide excellent guidance throughout the process.
To find out more about the jury selection process you can read our blog from last year. You can also visit our GOV.UK pages if you’ve been called to serve on a jury or are interested in learning more.
[English] - [Cymraeg]
Wythnos Gwerthfawrogi Rheithwyr 2025: Deall sut beth yw Gwasanaethu ar Reithgor
Bob blwyddyn, mae miloedd o bobl ledled Cymru a Lloegr yn cael eu dewis ar hap i wasanaethu ar reithgor. Mae’r ddyletswydd ddinesig hon yn rhan hanfodol o gynnal system gyfiawnder teg a diduedd, ac mae’n bwnc yr ydym yn aml yn cael cwestiynau amdano.
Wrth i ni chwarae ein rhan i gydnabod Wythnos Gwerthfawrogi Rheithwyr eleni, rydym yn edrych yn ôl ar y bennod ddiweddar o’n podlediad Inside HMCTS, lle roedd Craig Robb, Dirprwy Gyfarwyddwr Gwasanaethau Byw Troseddol, a wnaeth ateb llawer o’ch cwestiynau cyffredin.
Ar ôl gwasanaethu fel rheithiwr ei hun y llynedd, bu iddo rannu mewnwelediadau personol o’r broses o ddethol rheithgor, yr hyn i’w ddisgwyl pan fyddwch yn cael eich galw i wasanaethu, a pham bod rôl rheithiwr mor bwysig.
Dechrau’r siwrne
Pan fyddwch yn cael eich galw i wasanaethu ar reithgor, mae’n cychwyn gydag amlen syml yn dod trwy’r blwch llythyrau. Meddai Craig, “mae’r dyn post yn rhoi’r amlen drwy’r drws, rydych yn ei hagor, ac mae’n dweud ‘rydych yn cael eich galw i wasanaethu ar reithgor yn y ganolfan llysoedd hon, ar y dyddiad hwn’.”
Mae’r hysbysiad hwn fel arfer yn cyrraedd digon ymlaen llaw, tua naw wythnos cyn y dyddiad byddwch yn gwasanaethu, gan roi digon o amser i chi ddarllen yr wybodaeth a nodi eich ymateb. Oni bai bod yna resymau dilys a all eich stopio rhag gwasanaethu, disgwylir i chi fynychu a chyflawni eich dyletswydd ddinesig, ond mae pob cais i ohirio neu gael esgusodiad o wasanaethu yn cael eu hystyried mewn modd sympathetig a bydd amgylchiadau unigol wastad yn cael eu hystyried.
Y broses ddethol
I gael eich galw i wasanaethu ar reithgor, rhaid i chi:
- fod wedi byw yn y Deyrnas Unedig, Ynysoedd y Sianel neu Ynys Manaw, am a gyfnod o 5 mlynedd o leiaf ers i chi fod yn 13 oed
- bod yn etholwr cofrestredig ac yn ymddangos ar y gofrestr etholiadol
- rhwng 18 a 76 mlwydd oed.
Nid yw cael eich galw i wasanaethu ar reithgor yn golygu o reidrwydd y byddwch yn eistedd ar reithgor. Mae’r broses ddethol gychwynnol yn gyfan gwbl ar hap, a phan fyddwch yn cyrraedd y llys, mae proses bellach i ddethol panel y rheithgor ar gyfer pob treial, ac eto, mae hynny’n hollol ar hap.
‘O’r garfan honno, bydd proses ddethol ar hap yn dewis unigolion i eistedd ar bob treial gyda rheithgor sy’n cychwyn,” esbonia Craig. Mae’r llys yn cyfrifo sawl rheithiwr maen nhw eu hangen yn seiliedig ar yr achosion sydd wedi’u trefnu, ond gall amgylchiadau newid. Weithiau bydd achosion yn setlo munud olaf, neu efallai bod diffynyddion a oedd wedi pledio’n ddieuog yn flaenorol yn newid eu ple, gan ddileu’r angen i gynnal treial.
Er gwaethaf y ffactorau newidiol hyn, bydd y mwyafrif o bobl sy’n cael eu galw i wasanaethu ar reithgor yn cymryd rhan mewn o leiaf un treial.
Nid oes angen unrhyw wybodaeth gyfreithiol
Mae llawer o reithwyr yn poeni am eu diffyg gwybodaeth gyfreithiol, ond nid yw hyn yn broblem o gwbl. Fel mae Craig yn esbonio, “Y pwynt yw, dydych chi ddim i fod yn gyfreithiwr. Os oeddynt angen arbenigwyr cyfraith droseddol, byddan nhw’n chwilio am bobl o garfan wahanol.”
Mae’r gwasanaeth rheithgor yn galw ar ddinasyddion o bob math o gefndiroedd, “Gall rheithwyr fod yn ddynion tân, gallwch gael athrawon, gallwch gael gweinidogion, nid oes gofyniad am unrhyw wybodaeth benodol.” Mae’r rheithgor yn cael yr holl wybodaeth hanfodol yn ystod y treial i’w helpu i ddod i benderfyniad ar y cyd, a gofynnir iddynt wneud hynny drwy ystyried y dystiolaeth a gyflwynir iddynt yn yr ystafell llys, dadl y ddwy ochr a chyfarwyddiadau’r barnwr.
Profiad sy’n rhoi llawer o foddhad
Ar ôl gwasanaethu ar reithgor ei hun, mae Craig yn cynnig anogaeth i’r rhai hynny sydd ar fin gwasanaethu ar reithgor: “Ewch amdani. Roeddwn i’n meddwl ei fod yn brofiad gwych, un o’r profiadau sydd wedi agor fy llygaid mwyaf. Roedd yn heriol, ond yn gyffredinol roedd yn brofiad gwych, a phrofiad yr wyf yn eithaf balch ohono a dweud y gwir.”
Mae’n cynghori darpar reithwyr i beidio â theimlo’n bryderus, gan amlygu bod y cyfrifoldeb yn cael ei rannu ymysg y rheithgor, ac mae barnwyr yn darparu arweiniad ardderchog trwy gydol y broses.
I ganfod mwy am y broses o ddethol rheithgor gallwch ddarllen ein blog o’r llynedd. Gallwch hefyd ymweld â’n tudalennau GOV.UK os ydych wedi cael eich galw i wasanaethu ar reithgor neu eisiau mwy o wybodaeth.
1 comment
Comment by ola posted on
good knowledge to have.