What to expect on your first day

What should I wear/bring?

There is no formal dress code for the Coroner's court. However, the family of the person who has died will be there and we ask jurors to dress reasonably smartly out of respect. It is not necessary to wear a suit: smart casual clothes are fine.

Please bring photo identification on the first day. If you do not have photo ID, bring a utility bill or bank statement showing your name and address.

There is often some waiting between court sessions, so you may want to bring a book or something to help pass the time.  Do not bring items that could cause a security issue such as penknives.  We will provide tea, coffee and water. You can bring a packed lunch if you wish, or there are several cafes in Horsham, not far from the court building.  

Where should I go?

You will have detailed instructions of where to attend on your confirmation letter.  This will usually be the Coroner's Court, Horsham, West Sussex.

Could I be stood down?

A Coroner's jury consists of between 7 and 11 people. We always call more than 11 jurors to allow for sickness or last minute problems, so some potential jurors may be stood down and will not need to serve on that day. 

You will be stood down if you have a conflict of interest with the case being heard. This occasionally happens - for example, you may know one of the witnesses. 

If you are stood down, we will pay any loss of earnings or travel expenses for the day you attended. You may be recalled on another date to fulfil your obligation to serve.

Swearing in

Once the members of the jury have been finalised, you will be shown through to the courtroom. Before the inquest starts, each member of the jury must be formally sworn in. You will each need to take an oath or affirmation that you will give a true conclusion at the inquest according to the evidence.

You can either take an oath on a holy book or make a non-religious affirmation. If you want to take the oath on a holy book other please tell the coroner’s office whcih text you would wish to use.  If you would want any particular arrangements made before you handle a holy book then it would help us if you could let us know when you send in the receipt for the juror summons. 

Starting the case

The Coroner will begin the case by explaining what an inquest is plus your role in the case and will usually give a very brief summary of the facts of the case. This is not part of the evidence, but is simply to set the scene. 

The coroner will explain some very important rules for jurors. It is vital that you do not discuss the case with anyone else, including your family or partner. You must not do independent research, for example on the internet. You must not attempt to communicate with anyone involved. If you do, it may affect the case and could even mean it has to be stopped and restarted with a new jury. You may also face penalties. Please take the Coroner's directions on these issues very seriously.

Once the Coroner has given their introduction, they will call the first witness and the evidence will begin.