Assigned to JUD                                                                                                                                    FOR COMMITTEE

 

 


 

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Phoenix, Arizona

 

FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1001

 

summoning jurors: judicial districts

 

Purpose

 

            Stipulates how jury commissioners draw and summon trial juries in a county in which there are one or more judicial districts established by court rule.

 

Background

 

            The jury commissioner of each county prepares and maintains a master juror list of eligible persons who live within that county. Under this system, jurors are selected on a countywide basis and may travel far distances in order to complete their jury duty.

           

Current law does not outline how this selection process should be conducted if a county has more than one judicial district within its boundaries. According to the Administrative Office of the Courts, Yavapai County currently uses a judicial district system that is based upon the five justice court districts within that county. This system has limited the distance prospective jurors have had to travel in order to fulfil their juror obligation.

             

S.B. 1001 has no discernable fiscal impact to the state. 

 

Provisions

 

1.      Requires jury commissioners to draw and summon a trial jury from the body of the county except, if one or more judicial districts are established as designated by court rule, the commissioner may draw and summon the jury from any part of the county designated by court rule.

 

2.      Makes technical and conforming changes.

 

3.      Provides for a general effective date.

 

 

Prepared by Senate Staff

January 12, 2001