Automatic jury excusal age lifted to 72 from 21 February
People aged 65–71 will no longer have an automatic opt-out from jury duty, with ordinary health and hardship excusals still applying.
Parliament has passed the Juries (Age of Excusal) Amendment Bill, raising the age at which people may choose to be automatically excused from jury service from 65 to 72.
From 21 February 2026, automatic excusal will apply only to those aged 72 and over. The Ministry of Justice says the change is designed to broaden the pool of potential jurors and reflect that many people remain active in work and community life beyond 65. The Government also expects a wider pool to support the efficient operation of the courts.
People aged 65–71 can still seek to be excused on the usual grounds, such as health, disability, or undue hardship, but they will no longer have an automatic right to opt out based on age alone.
The amendment updates the Juries Act 1981 and was introduced as a Member’s Bill by Whanganui MP Carl Bates. The new threshold will apply to jury service from 21 February.
This article was originally written by AI. You can view the original source here.