Selection Fields
Legislative Intent
4 VSA § 952. Rules of Court Administrator
(a) The Court Administrator, subject to the approval of the Supreme Court, shall make rules regarding the qualifications, lists, and selection of all jurors and prepare questionnaires for prospective jurors. Each Superior Court clerk shall, in conformity with the rules, prepare a list of jurors from residents of its unit. The rules shall be designed to assure that the list of jurors prepared by the Superior Court clerk shall be representative of the citizens of its unit in terms of age, sex, occupation, economic status, and geographical distribution.
(b) Rules adopted under this section shall be consistent with the provisions of this chapter.
Definitions
N/A
Source of jury master lists are drawn (e.g., voter registration, state income tax, etc. )?
4 VSA § 953. Sources of names
(a) The clerk, in order to ascertain names of persons eligible as jurors, may consult the latest census enumeration, the latest published city, town, or village telephone or other directory, the listers' records, the elections records, and any other general source of names.
(b) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the Court Administrator may obtain the names, addresses, and dates of birth of persons which are contained in the records of the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Department of Labor, the Department of Taxes, the Department of Health, and the Department for Children and Families. The Court Administrator may also obtain the names of voters from the Secretary of State. After the names have been obtained, the Court Administrator shall compile them and provide the names, addresses, and dates of birth to the clerk in a form that will not reveal the source of the names. The clerk shall include the names provided by the Court Administrator in the list of potential jurors.
(c) There shall be continuous research for persons qualified and liable for jury service, in order to obtain as many prospective jurors as necessary and in order to limit as many prospective jurors as necessary and in order to limit as much as possible repetition of jury service.
(d) No person's name shall be placed on venire to serve in any State court of the State of Vermont more than once in any two-year period.
(e) All public officers shall, on request, furnish the clerk or the Court Administrator without charge, any information it may require to enable it to select eligible persons, ascertain their qualifications, or determine the number needed.
History
4 VSA § 954. Deposit of list
Prior to the first day of July in each biennial year, the clerk shall prepare and file a current master list of jurors and certify its completion and filing to the Court Administrator. The current master lists shall contain the number of names necessary adequately to serve the needs of the courts involved for a two-year period beginning July 1.
Drawing of juror names from list
4 VSA § 953. Sources of names
(a) The clerk, in order to ascertain names of persons eligible as jurors, may consult the latest census enumeration, the latest published city, town, or village telephone or other directory, the listers' records, the elections records, and any other general source of names.
(b) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the Court Administrator may obtain the names, addresses, and dates of birth of persons which are contained in the records of the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Department of Labor, the Department of Taxes, the Department of Health, and the Department for Children and Families. The Court Administrator may also obtain the names of voters from the Secretary of State. After the names have been obtained, the Court Administrator shall compile them and provide the names, addresses, and dates of birth to the clerk in a form that will not reveal the source of the names. The clerk shall include the names provided by the Court Administrator in the list of potential jurors.
(c) There shall be continuous research for persons qualified and liable for jury service, in order to obtain as many prospective jurors as necessary and in order to limit as many prospective jurors as necessary and in order to limit as much as possible repetition of jury service.
(d) No person's name shall be placed on venire to serve in any State court of the State of Vermont more than once in any two-year period.
(e) All public officers shall, on request, furnish the clerk or the Court Administrator without charge, any information it may require to enable it to select eligible persons, ascertain their qualifications, or determine the number needed.
History
4 VSA § 957. Drawing and summoning jurors
The manner of drawing and summoning jurors from the lists provided shall be in accordance with the rules of the court in which they are called to serve and all applicable statutes, including section 952 of this title, requiring that the panel shall be representative of the citizens of the unit in terms of age, sex, occupation, economic status, and geographical distribution.
Procedure for Summoning Jurors
4 VSA § 957. Drawing and summoning jurors
The manner of drawing and summoning jurors from the lists provided shall be in accordance with the rules of the court in which they are called to serve and all applicable statutes, including section 952 of this title, requiring that the panel shall be representative of the citizens of the unit in terms of age, sex, occupation, economic status, and geographical distribution.
Prohibition of Discrimination Against Jurors
N/A
Qualifications
4 VSA § 962. Qualifications; excuse from service
(a) A person shall be qualified for jury service if the person:
(1) is a citizen of the United States who has attained the age of majority;
(2) resides within the geographical jurisdiction of the court in which called to serve;
(3) is able to read, write, understand, and speak the English language;
(4) is capable, by reason of mental or physical condition, to render satisfactory jury service; and
(5) has not served a term of imprisonment in this State after conviction of a felony.
(b) No person shall be automatically excused from jury service; however, the presiding judge may excuse a person for all or part of the two-year period upon individual request showing undue hardship on the prospective juror or the employer.
Disqualifications
"(e) A petit juror shall be disqualified from sitting as such in a case where a municipality is a party, if such juror is a resident or taxpayer of such municipality.
(f) A juror who is a policy holder in any cooperative or mutual insurance company shall not by reason thereof be disqualified as a juror in a cause where such cooperative or mutual insurance company is a party, or is interested in the outcome thereof by reason of being an insurer of any of the parties in such cause." (12 VSA 61)
12 VSA § 64. Jurors--Conviction of crime; citizenship and residence
A person who has served a term of imprisonment in this State after conviction of a felony, or who is not a citizen of the United States or a resident of the county, shall be disqualified to act as a grand or petit juror.
Excusal or Exemptions
4 VSA § 962. Qualifications; excuse from service
(a) A person shall be qualified for jury service if the person:
(1) is a citizen of the United States who has attained the age of majority;
(2) resides within the geographical jurisdiction of the court in which called to serve;
(3) is able to read, write, understand, and speak the English language;
(4) is capable, by reason of mental or physical condition, to render satisfactory jury service; and
(5) has not served a term of imprisonment in this State after conviction of a felony.
(b) No person shall be automatically excused from jury service; however, the presiding judge may excuse a person for all or part of the two-year period upon individual request showing undue hardship on the prospective juror or the employer.
Limited Frequency of Jury Service
4 VSA § 963. Term of service
A person summoned to petit jury service shall not appear before the court for jury selection more than three times in any two-year period of time and shall be required to appear at the courthouse to serve as a juror on the date of trial no more than three times in that two-year period.
Who handles excusals is prescribed?
**Presiding judge**
4 VSA § 962. Qualifications; excuse from service
(a) A person shall be qualified for jury service if the person:
(1) is a citizen of the United States who has attained the age of majority;
(2) resides within the geographical jurisdiction of the court in which called to serve;
(3) is able to read, write, understand, and speak the English language;
(4) is capable, by reason of mental or physical condition, to render satisfactory jury service; and
(5) has not served a term of imprisonment in this State after conviction of a felony.
(b) No person shall be automatically excused from jury service; however, the presiding judge may excuse a person for all or part of the two-year period upon individual request showing undue hardship on the prospective juror or the employer.
Deferral/Postponement of jury service allowed
N/A
Number of petit jurors for jury trial is prescribed?
4 VSA § 954. Deposit of list
Prior to the first day of July in each biennial year, the clerk shall prepare and file a current master list of jurors and certify its completion and filing to the Court Administrator. The current master lists shall contain the number of names necessary adequately to serve the needs of the courts involved for a two-year period beginning July 1.
Disclaimer
The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice.
