Bill > A3941

Introduced Session

This bill would clarify an excuse from jury service for members of the military. Currently, N.J.S.2B:20-10 enumerates the grounds for excuse from jury service. Pursuant to P.L.1995, c.44, the Legislature eliminated exemptions for jury service and provided that a prospective juror may be excused from jury service in limited circumstances: the prospective juror is 75 years of age or older; the prospective juror has served as a juror within the last three years; jury service with impose a severe hardship on the prospective juror; the prospective juror is a member of a volunteer fire department or fire patrol; or the juror is a volunteer member of a first aid or rescue squad. Although N.J.S.38A:4-6 provides an excuse from jury service for members of the military, this section does not set forth a mechanism whereby the courts can verify a person's military status. This bill would repeal N.J.S.38A:4-6 and amend N.J.S.2B:20-10 to establish procedures for an excuse from jury service for members of the military. Under the bill, an officer or enlisted member of the organized militia, the United States Armed Forces, or a reserve component may be excused from jury service provided the person has submitted to the jury manager or Assignment Judge a certification that the person is unavailable for jury service due to a military deployment or duty assignment.

AI Summary

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Annette Quijano (D)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee (on 05/12/2022)

Official Document