Bill Text: NJ S1616 | 2016-2017 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Directs that jury service shall extend for one day or one trial if selected to serve on a trial.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-02-16 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee [S1616 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2016-S1616-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator PETER J. BARNES, III
District 18 (Middlesex)
Senator NIA H. GILL
District 34 (Essex and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Directs that jury service shall extend for one day or one trial if selected to serve on a trial.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning juror service and amending N.J.S.2B:20-13.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. N.J.S.2B:20-13 is amended to read as follows:
2B:20-13. Period of service of summoned jurors; discharge of unneeded jurors.
a. A juror summoned for service shall serve for a period of one day, unless the juror:
(1) is selected to serve on a jury,
(2) after questioning by a judge, is selected tentatively to serve on a jury, or is selected for consideration as a juror.
b. A juror so selected shall serve until released by the trial court or until the conclusion of the trial.
c. If the number of jurors in attendance is greater than is necessary for the business of the court, the Assignment Judge may discharge the unneeded jurors before the expiration of the period for which they were summoned. The jurors discharged shall be selected randomly.
(cf:P. L.1995, c.44, s.1)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill directs that jury service shall extend for one day or one trial. The New Jersey Law Revision Commission issued a report in May 1999 relating to juries and this bill is one of the recommended changes. The report noted that many counties already have a system as described in the bill in place.
