(1)  A person, or another person on his or her behalf, before the person is selected under section 29 to be empanelled, may apply to the Sheriff to be excused from jury service for the whole or any part of the jury service period.

(2)  On receipt of an application, the Sheriff may –

(a) grant the application to excuse a person from jury service for the whole or any part of the jury service period if satisfied that there is good reason for doing so; or

(b) refuse to grant the application if not so satisfied.

(3)  Good reason to excuse a person from jury service means any of the following:

(a) the illness or poor health of the person;

(b) the incapacity of the person;

(c) the excessive time or excessive inconvenience to the person to travel to the place at which the person is required to attend for jury service;

(d) the substantial hardship to the person resulting from attendance for jury service;

(e) the substantial financial hardship resulting from the person's attendance for jury service;

(f) the substantial inconvenience to the public resulting from the person's attendance for jury service;

(g) if the person has the care of any dependant, alternative care during the person's attendance for jury service is not reasonably available for that dependant;

(h) the beliefs or principles of the religious society or body of which the person is a practising member are incompatible with jury service;

(i) any other matter of special urgency or importance.

(4)  The Sheriff is to be satisfied by –

(a) evidence on oath or by affirmation; or

(b) statutory declaration; or

(c) any other means the Sheriff considers appropriate.

(5)  If the Sheriff refuses an application to be excused from jury service, the Sheriff is to notify the person in respect of whom the application was made accordingly.