The age limit for jury service could be raised to 70 as part of plans to modernise the system.
The move, to be introduced at the “earliest opportunity”, will make around 200,000 pensioners available for trial juries.
The Scottish Government said increasing the age limit from 65 will combat ageism and ease the pressure on other members of the public.
The change is part of wider proposals to overhaul the jury system. These include reducing the period between when a person is called as a potential jury member and when they can be called again from five to two years.
Other ideas include reducing the size of juries from 15 members to 11, and changing the rules about what professions are exempt from being called.
Under the current rules solicitors, prosecutors and police officers are barred from jury service, while members of the Armed Forces, doctors and the clergy can opt out.
Other options out for public consultation are changes to juror allowances, and options for trials without juries in long and complex cases.
Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill said the changes are being proposed to reflect changes in society and pressures on the pool of eligible jurors.
“On some of the more fundamental issues, such as juror size and occupational exemptions, we will take time to hear from a wide range of people, allowing us to reach decisions in light of robust evidence,” he said.
“As a first step we will raise the age limit for jury service from 65 to 70, recognising as we do the vast knowledge and life experience that senior citizens have to offer.
“This change in the law, which we propose to make at the earliest opportunity, will remove a clear discrimination and help change attitudes.
“It will also bring operational benefits, enlarging the pool of potential jurors and enabling public funds to be better targeted at assisting those jurors who experience hardship as a result of their service.”
Each year 150,000 people are called for jury service of which around 10% are selected. The annual cost of running the jury service is around £4million a year.
It is estimated that reducing the size of juries to 11 members would save £450,000 a year and ease the pressure on the potential pools of juries.
Scottish Tory chief whip David McLetchie said pensioners have a lot of experience to offer in the dispensation of justice.
“The status quo which excludes those over 65 from jury duty is just one of the many examples of age discrimination which still exist in our society,” he said.