Updated December 2012

It starts innocuously enough. A smallish buff-brown envelope discretely bearing the initials hmcts drops through your letter box. In any given week, typically 7,999 other people will receive a similar envelope. Inside is an invitation to take part in what it describes as 'one of the most important civic duties that anyone can be asked to perform.' The initials hmcts stand for Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service , and the principal content of your innocuous buff-brown envelope is your Jury Summons . This Entry describes what happens after your envelope arrives and applies to the process in England and Wales . The processes in Scotland and Northern Ireland , though similar, do differ.