Juror responsibilities

In a courtroom, an accused person has the right to a fair trial. This means we require jurors to uphold ethical standards of behaviour and give their full attention to the trial proceedings. 

As a juror it is your responsibility to act in a way that is open-minded, unbiased, respectful and courteous, to facilitate safe, fair and efficient justice proceedings. 

Throughout the trial, you must:

• Remain impartial: For a trial to be fair, it is essential to remain open-minded. You are not permitted to learn additional knowledge outside of the court proceedings, whether it be through a research tool, online, social media, in print or through discussion with others.  The court requires all juror decisions be based only on the evidence admitted or tested as part of the case and instructions provided by the Presiding Judge. If a juror has any questions relating to the trial, they must direct these to the Judge.   
• Report existing case connections or knowledge: If you realise in court that you know any of the people involved in the trial (whether these be witnesses, the accused person/s, family members or support persons, legal professionals, Police Officers etc.) you must immediately inform the Judge in a note sent via the Court Officer. The names of witnesses and those involved in the trial will be read out at the start of the case, so this should be raised before the jury is selected.
• Keep case information to yourself: All jury discussions must only occur in the jury room and when all jurors are present. Do not discuss the case with any other people. If you attend work on a day when court is not sitting, be careful not to discuss any details of the trial with your colleagues or family.  
• No posting case information to social media: Do not post any discussions or materials relating to the trial, your role as a juror or information received on social media. 
• Keep track of your confidential materials: You will be provided with a notebook to take notes as needed. You will have to hand this in at the end of each day, and at the end of the trial. Once the matter has been finalised, all the notebooks are securely destroyed.
• No site visits, unless permitted: Jurors are not permitted to visit the alleged crime scene without the Judge and legal representatives. As part of the trail, you may be required to go on a 'jury view', where you are taken to the scene of the alleged crime. These visits are pre-arranged and treated like a normal trial day.

More details and information on the role of being a juror and expectations of juror conduct are outlined in Fact sheet - Juror responsibilities (PDF, 166.1 KB).

Reaching a verdict

Jurors have an important responsibility to reach a fair verdict after considering all the evidence presented during the trial. The process of reaching a verdict is referred to as deliberation. Fact sheet - Reaching a verdict (PDF, 151.5 KB) explains these responsibilities and the process further.

Support after the trial

Participating in a trial as a juror may be a challenging and overwhelming process for some people. The NSW Sheriff's Office provides jurors with access to free counselling support after the trial. Information on the Juror Support Program will be provided to jurors by a Court Officer or Sheriff's Officer.

If you need support or require further information about this program, you can also contact 1300 679 272.

Further information on support can also be found in the Juror Support Program brochure.

Want to know more information on trials, please visit:

• What happens in a criminal trial by jury
• Roles in court (PDF, 166.1 KB).