New-York tribune., 1920-12-19
Woman Jury
Duty in State
Is Proposed
Bill, Drafted To Be Offered
in Legislature at Next
Session, Is Approved by
Sheriff and Commissioner
IncludesContemptP enalty
Measure Would Impose ON
Women Compulsory Ser
wee at Gail of the Court

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury!"
This form will soon be used in New
York courts in addressing juries, if q
plan now afoot to amend the law is
successful, as it's promoters believe it
will be. The matter Of women Jurors
in this state was discussed at con-
ference yesterday, ut which 1t was de-
cided to submit to the Legislature in
January bill SO amending the law
that women may serve on all jures, as
they do in New Jersey.
Among those who took part in this
conference and gave their approval of
the plan were Sheriff David II. Knott,
Frederick Byrne, Commissioner Of
Jurors, and Mrs. Pauline 0. Field, law
yer and president Of the Criminal Bar
Association.
At present the section of the ju-
dietary law that provides the qualfica-
tlon for service as a juryman reads "a
male citizen of the United States.' The
amending bill drawn up by Mrs. Field
eliminates the word "male' and makes
the line read "a citizen Of the United
States"
Service VIII Be Compulsory
If the law is changed, jury service
will become an obligation on the part
# the women just as much as it is TO-
day with the men. and they will become
subject to the same strict rules I'm
der the present law, any person
srbpnnaed for jury duty who fails to
respond is subject to punishment for
contempt Of court, which usually car
wit -
the compulsory feature Of the law will
prove popular with the women remains
to be seen.
Men already have fine assortment
of excuses why they should not be com
PEELED to serve, and it may be neces-
sary to make new list of valid excuses
for the women from which afternoon
teas and bargain sales will be omitted
While the Commissioner office will be
reasonable in the matter, the fact re-
mains that the addition of several
thousand names to the jury rolls is
much needed to facilitate the smooth
working of the court system.
Of course, if a woman called for Jury
duty explains that she has several chill
dren at home that require her attcn-
tion it will be accepted as valid ex-
cuse, unless, indeed, provision can be
made to have the mother bring the chill
dren to court with her.
Mixed Juries Are Intended
1t is not the intention of the support
ers of the plan to have jurics composed
entirely of women. The drawing from
the jury wheel might produce an even
number Of men and women; the men
might predominant in some cases, and
in other cases it might be the other
way. In the case Of q mixed jury the
result som metimes, no doubt, will depend
on the respective power of endurance
and argument as 5etween the men and
women. Then, rxain, a rule might be
created under which a lawyer can re-
quest jury of all women, if he has the
sort of case he thinks they can decide
with greater intelligence than the men
on the panel.
Sheritf's juries are selected by the
Sheriif alone, without any assistance
from the Commissioner of Jurors, and
Sheriff Knott, who expressed himself
strongly IN favor of the idea of women
jurors, promised that he would appoint
women to his three panels as soon as
the law Is amended and becomes cf-
fective.
This new arrangement may make
necessary slight change in the rules
with regard to the social feature of
Sheriif's juries. Heretofore the wives
of men on these juries have not been
invited as guests to the famou.
Shel IFS panel dinners. Wi h women as
members Of these panels, it might be
necessary to let down the bars and ad.
NIT the other sex to the dinners.
But all considerations are subordi
nate to the main idea, said Mrs. Field
who expressed her belief that womer
Jurors are much needed, aside from the
fact, as the woman lawyer added, that
they are entitled to full participation
in all official activities.