New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-10-26
-IIIRY HNTY

JURY DUTY
The manner in which juries are selected in
Now York is simple enough, and IN theory is.
perhaps as just and as reasonable as need be
desired. The list of Grand Jurors Is drawn up
annually 10y a board consisting of the Mayor
and certain Judges, with the Commissioner OF
| Jurors az Secretary, and us.lally contains from
600 to 700 names. The Petit Jury list is made
up by the Commissioner alone 1t now COM
prises 5000 names, and will probably soon
bc increased by successive additions to $1,000
at least. When panel Is wanted. these
names are placed in n wheel, and drawn
out singly until the requisite number is obtained
| The Sheriff issues notices to all the persons
upon whom tho lot falls, and the fine for non
attendance in Court is S25 day. All persons
who are legally exempt must bring proof TO
| that effect to the Commissioner OF Jurors; ana
if from any cause they arc inCapacitated from
serving, they must present their excuse TO the
Judge in Court. One would think that under
| this system there ought to be little or no dihI-
Guilty in obtaining the services OF all the com
| petent jurymen whom the business of the Courts
| could possibly demand but for years past the
administration of justice has been impeded
| by frequent trouble in getting a jury
| together and Courts arc often Obliged to ad-
| iourn because out OF $1,000 mer enrolled for
| duty it is found impossible to impannel twelve.
Last year GOO Grand Jurors were drawn in this
| city, and nearly half Of them were upon one
plea or another excused. But the great trouble
is with the Petit Juries. In That year 10000
names were drawn, and only 800 could be
In nfh before
can get twelve good men and true into the
jury box you must serve summonseS upon
1900. That is the average, but sometimes the
number of delinquents is even higher than
90 per cent At the opening of the five Civil
Courts of this city in June last, five panels Of
100 names each were exhausted, and out
of the whole 500 only Hirty-twO were held to
service The Courts had to adjourn until fresh
panels could be drawn and summoned. The
consequences of this general delinquency reach
| beyond the obstruction OF legal business.
Citizens who have neither money enough to pay
| the fine for nOn-attcndance nor influence enough
to secure free exemption are Of course those
upon whom the duty is most likely to fall. The
burden is shifted from the shoulders of the rich
and powerful, and laid remOrselessly upon
the backs of the poor and the weak.
| Moreover, class of professional jury
men" has sprung up, who, without
regular occupation, or means of support, are
| glad enough to take the few pence which are
paid to juror for his days attendance, with
the possibility of pOckctng bribe, or getting
some indirect compensation for verdict.
That such men are public pest, words are
not needed to show. Lawyers know how our
! Courts are infested 10y them.
Mr.. Douglas Taylor, the Commissioner Of
Jurors, we are glad to see, has taken steps to
abolish some of the many abuses which have
! crcpt into the system and reduced it to its
! present discreditable state. The trouble has
been not in the law, but i'll its lax enforce
mcnt hlr. Taylor gives notice that the
Courts and the Commissioner have now turned
over a new leaf. The Judges one and
ALL are going to enforce the fines with
the inhexibiIity of Rhadamanthus Ii
will no longer he possible, as it has been here
toforc, to get excused by writing a polite note
To the Judge or the Commissioner, or inducing
some friend or clerk to call and present your
APOLOGIES. No lover of his ease need now inn
agne that he can quietly ignore the summons
and that his absence will be overlooked. If
| lac il legally exempt, he must 90 before the
| Commissioner and prove it. If he is sick, Or
away from the city, lac must attend i'll Court at
the earliest possible day, and offer his excuse.
If he is deaf or idiotc, or ignorant of the Ian
guagc, or otherwise incompetent he must state
his ease openly before the bench, and abide 10y
the Judges decision. And if he is fined, he may
be sure the fine will be collected. For those who
do their duty promptly and faithfully there
are, moreover certain compensations. BY Civ
ing notice to the Commissioners before their
names are drawn, they can have the privilege
of choosing the time of year when il will be
most convenient to them to serve; and those
who honestly and readily discharge their duty
as Petit Jurors will not be called upon again
until the whole list has been exhausted, which.
under the revised regulations, ought to he in
not less than several years.