JUROR QUALIFICATION QUESTIONNAIRES
House Bill 4054 as introduced
Sponsor: Rep. Steve Bieda
Committee: Judiciary
First Analysis (2-16-05)
BRIEF SUMMARY: The bill would permit local jury boards, with approval by the chief circuit court judge, to remove convicted felons from the first jury list.
FISCAL IMPACT: The bill would have no fiscal impact.
THE APPARENT PROBLEM:
Currently, under the Revised Judicature Act, anyone convicted of a felony is disqualified from jury service. However, convicted felons (by virtue of possessing a driver's license or state identification card) may be chosen in the first jury list and sent a juror qualifications questionnaire. Sending convicted felons a jury qualifications questionnaire is, some believe, not necessary given that they are automatically ineligible from serving on a jury.
THE CONTENT OF THE BILL:
The bill would amend the Revised Judicature Act (MCL 600.1312) to allow a jury board, if approved by the chief circuit judge, to remove from the first jury list the name of any person convicted of a felony and therefore disqualified from serving as a juror under Section 1307A(1)(e) of the act.
ARGUMENTS:
For:
By permitting removing convicted felons from the first jury list, the bill could potentially save counties money when mailing jury questionnaires. In addition, the bill protects against the possibility (albeit a remote one) where a convicted juror is placed on a jury panel (which could provide grounds for an appeal of a verdict). Reportedly, in rare instances, a convicted felon has made it as far as the courtroom before being dismissed.
POSITIONS:
There are no positions at present
Legislative Analyst: Mark Wolf
Fiscal Analyst: Marilyn Peterson
■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.