ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Phoenix, Arizona
jury selection process
Makes changes to statutes
relating to the jury selection process to reflect current practice.
Pursuant to statute, presiding judges in each county are required to make an order to draw a sufficient number of names of persons for jury service during the months of January and July of each year. Within ten days, the jury commissioner is required to draw the names of prospective jurors from a master jury list. In addition, minutes of the drawing must be kept and must contain the method used to ensure random selection and each name drawn.
According to the Arizona
Association of Counties, the process of jury selection currently operating in
counties does not reflect the statutes in place. Specifically, jury commissioners, depending on the need, have
drawn names of prospective jurors from the master jury list outside the two designated
months specified by statute. In addition, the Administrative Office of the
Courts and the Arizona Association of Counties both note that a jury
commissioner does not exist in every county to carry out the responsibilities
of the jury selection process, and consultant services are often used in place
of a jury commissioner. Finally, the
Arizona Association of Counties contends that keeping minutes of the drawings
are redundant because other methods of public record keeping are in place and
are being used. H.B. 2496 makes changes
to statutes relating to the jury selection process to reflect current practice.
There is no fiscal impact to the state general fund associated with the provisions of this measure.
1. Changes the requirement of a presiding judge to make an order to draw a number of names for jury service from a master jury list to twice a year, rather than in January and July of each year.
2. Allows a jury commissioner’s agent to draw the names of prospective jurors from a master jury list.
3. Eliminates the requirement to keep minutes of the drawings, which include each name drawn and the methods used to ensure random selection.
4. Makes technical changes.
5. Provides for a general effective date.
House Action
CM 1/25/00 DPA 6-0-0-0
3rd Read 2/9/00 56-3-1-0
Prepared by Senate Staff
February 17, 2000