Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-05-21
.,uorrssyoyAI. AJURYMEN.

II may be presumed that the Richmond
Bar Association have good reasons for
urging their Judiciary Committee to take
steps TO secure. II possible, better mate
rial for juries in our city courts.
There Is 10 suspicion that our Jurymen
are corrupt. No: we have never heard
anything OF the kind alleged. The Jury
nxer." who is well known in some Of the
great cities Of this country. has never
made his appearance here as far as we
know Of. The trouble seems to be that
go many people are exempt from jury SER
vice. or. if not exempt, shirk their duty
Upon one pretence or another, that
very considerable part Of the jury duty
is done by few men who seek rather
than shirk 1t.
II a list of those who have served upon
juries here for the past three or -FOUR
years were made out and the days each
has served were noted, we think the pub
lie would be startled to find the frequent
recurrence Of a few names. Those per-
sons have come to be called profession
al" jurymen Usually they are good men;
but men with so much leisure on their
hands that It IS no hardship to them to
be called as jurymen.
Lawyers in active practice going from
one court TO another are familiar with
the faces of these professional jurors.
Up TO this time the bar has shown no
outward sign Of dissatisfaction with
them, but hereafter, and until the desired
reform can be inaugurated, we guess,
lawyers viii call for special juries oftener
than they have done in the past.
Businessmen who have cases In our
courts are always eXasperated to find pro-
fessionals upon the juries, yet these very
same businessmen probably have all
their lives lodged jury duty!
The truth is that there are too many
exempts. and there il too much inclina-
ton to frame excuses which will serve to
release the average citizen from his tour
of duty in the jury-box. The number OF
eXempts Just now must be less than for
merly. because most of our military com
panies have been mustered out. Thus sew
eral hundred active and contributing
members have been or will be put upon
the eligible list again.
1t is a fact, we believe, that there are
many men here who claim no exemption.
and who are intelligent, trustworthy, and
well known, who rarely or never have
been drawn as jurors. We remember TO
have heard a respectable citizen Of about
40 years Of age, who had long lived here,
say that he never had been summoned as
claim to exemption.
That the juries OF Richmond ought TO
be composed of the best men Of the city,
and often as possible of fresh material,
we think none will dispute. Then, why
do we not have them? The answer is that
it is because of the strenuous and inge-
NOUS efforts the average citizen makes 10
fend off jury duty. But why is he so de-
termined TO keep off juries? His rea-
sons are not hard to find. He does not
object so much TO serving upon a special
jury, but he does not like TO be "con-
scrlpted." as-ft were. for the whole term.
And now. since the lawyers are moving
in this matter and wish to improve the
jury service, we must tell them candidly
that the delays and postponements Of
cases are exceedingly provoking to jury
men who have been called away from
their business pursuits.
The law should be changed so as not to
require one jury to serve for the whole
term Many men would sacrifice their
personal interests to serve COR two or
three days, who would not do so for a
term
Again. the courts and the lawyers, and
all others in authority, ought to co-ope-
rate. as far as practicable, TO expedite
jury cases; to put a stop to veXatious de-
lays and postponements. thereby suiting
the convenience Of everybody except the
jurors. 1t vexes jurymen very much, in
deed. TO find such scrupuious considera-
ton shown everybody except themselves
If the Committee on TIE judiciary OF
the Richmond Bar Association wish 10
hear 1.-The other side" Of this jury ques-
ton. let them talk the matter over with
some of our businessmen. They may be
surprised to hear that the general "kicli"
against jury service is cLareeable. in large
part. to the time uselessly consumed by
jurors Ia going t. court oniy TO hear that
| ,nOe is a pOstponement.