Bill > SB1509

This bill establishes new rules for peremptory challenges (the ability to dismiss potential jurors without stating a cause) in civil trials in Arizona's superior courts. Specifically, each party in a civil trial will now be entitled to four peremptory challenges, which they must use through an alternating process of striking potential jurors. If a party does not use all of their challenges, they automatically waive the remaining ones. The bill allows for additional challenges if parties on the same side have conflicting interests, with the court determining an equal distribution of extra challenges. The legislature's motivation for this bill stems from concerns raised after the Arizona Supreme Court eliminated peremptory challenges in civil trials in August 2021, believing that the elimination could increase the risk of biased juries and potentially compromise the fairness of trials. The bill aims to restore a limited number of peremptory strikes to help ensure an impartial jury while maintaining existing protections against discriminatory jury selection, such as those established in the landmark Batson v. Kentucky Supreme Court case.

Budget and Finance, Government Affairs

https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/82943