Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Assemblywoman ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT
District 31 (Hudson)
Assemblywoman SHANIQUE SPEIGHT
District 29 (Essex)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman Holley
SYNOPSIS
Eliminates past conviction of indictable offense as disqualifier for jury service.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act permitting persons with certain prior convictions to qualify for jury service, and amending N.J.S.2B:20-1.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. N.J.S.2B:20-1 is amended to read as follows:
2B:20-1. Qualifications of jurors.
Every person summoned as a juror:
a. shall be 18 years of age or older;
b. shall be able to read and understand the English language;
c. shall be a citizen of the United States;
d. shall be a resident of the county in which the person is summoned;
e. [shall not have been convicted of any indictable offense under the laws of this State, another state, or the United States;] (Deleted by amendment, P.L. , c. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill)
f. shall not have any mental or physical disability which will prevent the person from properly serving as a juror.
(cf: P.L.1997, c.127, s.1)
2. On the effective date of P.L. , c. (pending before the Legislature as this bill), each juror source list compiled in accordance with N.J.S.2B:20-2 that is being used to select eligible persons for jury service shall be updated, to account for the change in juror qualifications established by that act, no later than the first day of the four month next following enactment of that act.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would permit persons with past convictions of indictable offenses to serve on juries. Under current law, such convictions, whether based on violations of New Jersey law, another state's law, or federal law, are automatic disqualifiers for jury service. See N.J.S.2B:20-1, subsection e. The bill would eliminate this disqualifier, making persons with such convictions eligible for jury service.