Jury duty in Queensland: pay, excusal and summons rules
A questionnaire, a summons and selection for a trial are different stages. Use the current pay table and excusal checklist to work out what to do with the notice you received.
Key points
- From 1 July 2026, attendance before empanelment pays $51.30 a day or part-day; an empanelled juror or reserve receives $153.30.
- After the 20th weekday on the same trial, a serving juror or reserve receives an extra $51.30 per day or part-day.
- Queensland does not offer postponement. Apply for full or partial excusal, with evidence, if you cannot serve.
- A person aged 70 or over is ineligible unless they elect to be eligible. Check your status with the court if you receive a summons.
- Ignoring a questionnaire or summons without reasonable excuse can attract up to 10 penalty units ($1,727 at the rate from 1 July 2026) or two months’ imprisonment.
- For attendance decisions, contact the Deputy Sheriff on your summons. Legal Hotline provides free information on 1800 951 176; a $295 arrangement fee includes an initial one-hour lawyer consultation.
In Queensland, the Jury Regulation 2017 pays a summoned person $51.30 per attendance day or part-day before empanelment and a juror or reserve $153.30 per trial day or part-day from 1 July 2026.
Checked on 23 October 2026: the current Queensland Jury Act and Jury Regulation, the 2026 penalty-unit amendment, Queensland Courts and Fair Work Ombudsman. Sources and limits of this check.
Queensland jury-duty pay from 1 July 2026
The rates below come from Jury Regulation 2017, Part 5 and Schedule 2, current from 1 July 2026, and agree with Queensland Courts’ payment guidance. Older amounts still appear on some websites. Court payments are separate from employer pay.
Scroll the tables sideways to compare all columns.
| Situation | Amount | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Attend but not empanelled | $51.30 | For each attendance day or part-day. |
| Serve as juror or reserve | $153.30 | For each day or part-day on the trial. |
| Serve after the 20th weekday of the same trial | $51.30 extra | Additional to trial remuneration, not a general service-period bonus. |
| Qualifying full-day adjournment after day 20 | $153.30 | Subject to regulation 10; ask court staff whether it applies. |
| Lunch allowance | $18.00 | When allowed to separate during the lunch adjournment to obtain a meal. |
| Evening meal allowance | $30.50 | When allowed to separate during the evening adjournment to obtain a meal. |
Travel may be reimbursed under the applicable rules; private-vehicle use depends on public transport being unreasonable. Parking and childcare are not reimbursed under the court’s published guidance. Keep receipts and ask court staff what your attendance qualifies for.
Questionnaire, summons or trial: what stage are you at?
Follow the notification method on your summons to find out when attendance is required. An unselected juror may be needed again. During a trial, follow the judge’s directions, consider only courtroom evidence and do not independently research or discuss the case online.
Scroll the tables sideways to compare all columns.
| Stage | Your task | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Notice and questionnaire | Return the questionnaire within the time stated; give accurate eligibility information. | You may be summoned. It does not mean you have been selected for a trial. |
| Summons | Follow its attendance and notification instructions and remain available unless excused. | You may be called on particular days during the service period. |
| Selected as juror or reserve | Attend as directed until released by the court. | Do not assume a nominal service-period end releases you from an ongoing trial. |
| Measure | Court guidance |
|---|---|
| Jury-service availability period | Generally no more than 4 weeks; follow the actual summons. |
| Typical trial | Often 3–5 days, but some last longer. The court gives the relevant estimate. |
Can you be excused or postpone jury duty?
Queensland Courts says there is no postponement option. You can apply for full or partial excusal under Jury Act 1995 sections 19–23. Explain your actual circumstances and the dates affected; work inconvenience is not automatically enough.
Use QJuror or the paper questionnaire and application. You make the application; an employer can supply a supporting letter. If circumstances change or attendance is imminent, contact the Deputy Sheriff using the number on the summons.
Scroll the tables sideways to compare all columns.
| Circumstance | Useful evidence or explanation |
|---|---|
| Health or disability | Medical evidence explaining how service is affected; disability alone does not always make a person ineligible. |
| Caring responsibilities | Who needs care, when, and why suitable alternative care is unavailable. |
| Financial or work hardship | Specific financial impact, employer letter or business records; explain why alternatives are impractical. |
| Study, travel or particular dates | Timetable, bookings or dates showing the conflict; identify whether partial excusal could address it. |
| Recent required jury attendance | Earlier summons and attendance details; section 22 covers qualifying service periods ending less than one year before the new period. |
A request is not approval. Keep the decision and follow the court’s directions. Only the court or Sheriff can excuse you; Legal Hotline cannot grant an excusal.
Age 70 and other eligibility rules
Under Jury Act 1995 section 4, a person aged 70 or over is not eligible unless they elect eligibility. The Act also excludes specified occupations and criminal histories. It refers to being sentenced to imprisonment, not only to having physically served a prison term, and to an indictable conviction even if dealt with summarily.
Do not assume all disabilities prevent jury service: the statutory test concerns the ability to perform juror functions effectively. Give the court accurate information about your own situation and ask about appropriate arrangements.
Scroll the tables sideways to compare all columns.
| Age/status | Position |
|---|---|
| Under 70 | Age alone does not decide eligibility; check the other statutory requirements. |
| 70 or over, no election to be eligible | Ineligible under section 4(3)(j). |
| 70 or over, elected eligibility | The age exclusion no longer applies; other requirements still matter. |
What must your employer pay?
Under the National Employment Standards, full-time and part-time employees receive their ordinary-hours base pay for the first 10 days absent from work for jury duty, subject to the evidence requirements. An employer can require proof of steps taken to obtain court pay and the amount payable, then deduct that jury remuneration, excluding expense allowances. Casual employees receive jury leave but no NES jury pay. An award, agreement, contract or applicable state law may provide more generous rights.
Tell your employer as soon as practicable and keep your summons, attendance record and court-payment statement. Fair Work’s jury-duty guidance explains the national rules under Fair Work Act 2009 sections 108–112.
Scroll the tables sideways to compare all columns.
| Your situation | NES position |
|---|---|
| Full-time or part-time | Base pay for the first 10 work-absence days, subject to evidence; court remuneration can reduce the employer’s payment. |
| Casual | Jury leave, but no NES jury pay. Check other entitlements. |
| After 10 work-absence days | No further NES jury pay; check for more generous terms. |
What if you miss a questionnaire deadline or summons?
Contact the Deputy Sheriff promptly and keep evidence of your reason. Jury Act 1995 section 18(4) deals with failing to return the questionnaire; section 28 deals with failing to comply with the summons. Both include a reasonable-excuse qualification. The amounts below are court maximums, not automatic charges for every missed date.
Scroll the tables sideways to compare all columns.
| Offence | Maximum in units / custody | From 1 July 2026 | 1 July 2025–30 June 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Failure to return questionnaire — s18(4) | 10 units or 2 months’ imprisonment | $1,727 (unit $172.70) | $1,669 (unit $166.90) |
| Failure to comply with summons — s28 | 10 units or 2 months’ imprisonment | $1,727 (unit $172.70) | $1,669 (unit $166.90) |
The 2026 Penalties and Sentences amendment commenced on 1 July 2026. Use the unit applicable to the offence date; do not apply today’s amount automatically to an earlier alleged offence.
Need advice about a summons or an employer dispute?
The Deputy Sheriff is the first contact for routine attendance and excusal matters. A lawyer may help with disputed eligibility, a non-attendance prosecution or an employer refusing jury leave. Have your summons, questionnaire, decision and employment records ready.
Arrange an initial one-hour consultation with an Australian lawyer for $295 including GST. This is Legal Hotline’s matching and arrangement fee; the lawyer charges no additional fee for that first hour. Any further work is quoted separately. Phone, video and in-person appointments depend on availability.
Our free line, 1800 951 176, answers at any hour. Jen, our AI legal information assistant, gives general information and takes your details. Jen is not a lawyer and does not advise on your case. Requests can be made at any hour; lawyer appointment times depend on availability.
Official help and free legal information
Use the court for attendance decisions and these services for process or workplace information. Individual legal assistance depends on the service’s eligibility and scope.
Queensland Courts — Deputy Sheriff
Use the telephone number on your own summons, especially for urgent attendance or excusal problems. No single statewide opening-hours promise is made here.
Legal Aid Queensland
1300 65 11 88, Monday–Friday, 8.30am–4.30pm AEST, excluding public holidays. Free legal information and referrals; telephone charges may apply.
Fair Work Ombudsman
For national workplace leave and pay information: 13 13 94, Monday–Friday, 8am–5.30pm. Have your employment type, summons and pay records ready.
Common questions about jury duty in QLD
How much do you get paid for jury duty in Queensland?
From 1 July 2026, Jury Regulation 2017 Schedule 2 provides $51.30 per attendance day or part-day before empanelment and $153.30 per day or part-day as a juror or reserve on a trial. Service after the 20th weekday on the same trial attracts an additional $51.30. Meal and travel payments have separate conditions.
Can I postpone jury duty in Queensland?
Queensland Courts says jury service cannot be postponed. You may apply for full or partial excusal under Jury Act 1995 sections 19–23, with evidence explaining the difficulty and affected dates. Submit through QJuror or the supplied form and contact the Deputy Sheriff for urgent changes; applying does not itself excuse attendance.
Do I have to do jury duty after turning 70 in Queensland?
Under Jury Act 1995 section 4(3)(j), a person aged 70 or over is ineligible unless they elect to be eligible under section 4(4). If a summons arrives, contact the court to confirm your recorded status rather than assuming the summons can be ignored.
How long does jury duty last in Queensland?
The jury-service period on a Queensland summons is generally no more than four weeks, and attendance is required as directed rather than every day. Queensland Courts says a trial often lasts three to five days, but some take longer. Jury Act 1995 section 28 requires compliance with the summons; an empanelled juror should follow the court’s release directions.
What is the fine for not attending jury duty in Queensland?
Failure to comply with a jury summons without reasonable excuse carries a maximum of 10 penalty units or two months’ imprisonment under Jury Act 1995 section 28. At $172.70 per unit from 1 July 2026, the fine maximum is $1,727. Section 18(4) separately applies the same maximum to failing to return the questionnaire without reasonable excuse.
Does my employer have to release and pay me for jury duty?
Jury Act 1995 section 69 prohibits specified dismissal or disadvantage because of jury service. Under Fair Work Act 2009 sections 108–112, eligible national-system full-time and part-time employees receive ordinary-hours base pay for the first 10 work-absence days, subject to evidence and deduction of jury remuneration excluding expenses. Casuals have jury leave but no NES jury pay; more generous terms may apply.
Sources and update record
The current official Jury Act compilation is dated 30 March 2017; it remains the register’s current version. Jury Regulation 2017 is current from 1 July 2026. The penalty-unit amendment was notified on 22 May 2026 and commenced on 1 July 2026. Those current texts, not stale search snippets showing older pay rates, were used.
- Jury Act 1995 — current official compilation
- Jury Regulation 2017 — current from 1 July 2026, Schedule 2
- Queensland Courts — jury payments
- Queensland Courts — excusal applications
- Queensland Courts — summons instructions
- Queensland Courts — information for employers
- Queensland Courts — what happens on a jury
- Penalties and Sentences (Penalty Unit Value) Amendment Regulation 2026
- Fair Work Ombudsman — jury duty and Fair Work Act ss108–112
General information only, not legal advice. Updated . Checked against the sources above on 23 October 2026.
Review date recorded on the previous version: . This content update does not represent a new personal legal review.