The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1899-03-24
TO CHANGE THE JURY SYSTEM.

shall be lawyers or state or county
officers) to be appointed by the
Circuit Judge.
The Jury Commissioners are to
select from the tax books and other
sources, names of upright and in
telligent men, from each and every
district in the county, and In pro-
portion to the population Of the dis
tricts, a list of names numbering not
less than one.fourth the number OF,
votes cast in the county for Presi-
Dental electors at the Presidential
election next preceding the making
of said list. This list shall consti-
tute the jury list for two years, and
shall not, during the two years, be
added to or taken from, except for
causes mentioned in the bill, and
the Circuit Court Clerk shall keep
an alphabetical list, according to
districts, of the list so selected, and
report the same to the Court.
The manner of choosing from this
large list the regular jurors for
term, is as follows: Each name on
the list shall be written on a slip of
paper and placed in box, the box
to be kept under lock and seal, and
not opened except in the presence of
the Board of Jury Commissioners,
or in open Court by order of the
Court, for the purpose of drawing
therefrom names of jurors. And it
is further provided, THAT ten or
fifteen days before each regular or
special term of the Court, said
Board of Jury Commissioners shall
unlock the jury box and break the
seal thereof, and, after having we'll
shaken the same, cause to be drawn
therefrom, in the presence of the
Board, by child under ten years of
age, number of names equal to the
number of jurors who, under exist
ing laws, are selected by the County
Court to constitute the regular panel
of grand and petit jurors for such
term of Court" This list, so drawn
from the box, it is provided, shall be
placed in sealed envelope and safe
ly kept by the Chairman of the
Board, and by him delivered in open
Court to the Judge of the Court on
the first day of the term, and this
list shall constitute the names of the
grand and petit jurors for the term,
provided they are qualified, and if
not, in the same manner other
names shall be selected to take the
places of those disqualified. Provis-
ion is also made for extra jurors, to
take the place of those who may be
taken sick or otherwise disqualified
during the term. And where a
special panel is required, as in big
murder cases where those on the
regular panel may all have formed
opinions, the jury box may be opened
from time to time in the presence of
the Court, and names drawn there
from by child, until the special
jury is made up. Or if the names in
the jury box are all exhausted be-
fore the jury is completed, then the
Sheriff shall summon such other
men as the Judge may designate.
Section of the bill reads as fol-
lows: THAT the Court shall not
have the right to excuse any person
summoned as a juror who is quail
fed, except it be made to appear by
affidavit in writing and to the salts
faction of the Court, that the state OF
his own health or that of some mem
Der of his family, requires his pres.
ence at home, or that some pressing
and urgent business engagement
the neglect of which will cause
irreparable loss, or the public ser.
vice will be materially injured by
his attendance; and such details
J shall be given as will clearly show
the reasons therefor to the satisfac-
ton of the Court"
No Juror shall be required to serve
for more than two weeks consecu.
= lively, unless the trial of the case
engaged in requires more than two
weeks. The Judge having the ap.
pointing power, has also the right to
remove any of the commissioners
for incompetency, corruption in
office, or failure to perform any Of
their duties of Office as required by
law. The act is made to take effect
from and after June |, 1899.
These are the salient features of
this most important bill, which has
been recommended for passage. 1t
has some strong points, and would
unquestionably elevate the moral
and intelligent personnel of the
average jury. But whether or not
the people want it, is a question. II
takes the power away from the
County Court, and places it first in
the hands of the Circuit Judge, to be
delegated by him to Commission