Evening star., 1929-07-01
IMPROVING QUALITY
OF PANELS IS URGED
D. c. GRAND JURY
Body Recommends LegisIa-
ton to Lift Ban Against
Federal Employees.
WOULD INCREASE AGE
FROM 21-65 TO 25-70
Suggests That Bar Association Be
Requested to Formulate Bill
Revising System.

Recommendation for legislation tend
ing to improve the quality of jurors In
the District courts is made In q special
report Of the grand jury which con-
cluded its labors today.
The suggestion is made that the age
limit for jury service be changed from
"21 to IS years" to read from IS to 10
years; that Government employees be
allowed to serve on the law courts
and the bar against service Of notary
public, persons having contracts with
the Government and holders Of war
risk insurance, In criminal cases, ETC.,
be removed.
The grand jurors suggest that the
Bar Association formulate bill to be
submitted to Congress to effect such
changes. They also advise that some
method be adopted to improve the
quality Of persons summoned for jury
service by investigation into their quail
flcations, education and the like, before
their names are placed in the jury box.
Report Of Grand Jury.
The report of the grand Jury reads:
"The attention Of the grand jury res
been directed to the matter Of selecting
jurors with the hope of obtaining an
Improvement in the method Of deter
jury service.
'It Is not our purpose to criticise the
work Of the jury commission, but
rather to be helpful by constructive
suggestions, which might improve the
methods Of selecting jury material.
Litigation In the District of Column
bia Is increasing both In amount and
importance. Cases of great difficulty
are being presented more constantly TO
the juries for determination. It has
been suggested to the grand jury that
jurors Of more than average experience,
education and intellect be chosen
for this important work, and before
their names are put in the box, some
determination should be made by the
jury commission or some one acting for
It, TO see whether they meet not only
the statutory requirements fixed for the
qualification Of jurors, but the more
necessary qualifications Of intelligence,
experience and o mental capacity suf-
ficient to enable them to deal intelli-
gently with the disputed and difdcult
questions Of fact that must be pre-
sented to them for solution.
Do Not Outline Method. .
Gas TO how such work can be done
by the jury commission, we cannot say,
but we do believe that the suggestion
Is worthy Of consideration, provided
the commission be equipped with the
forces necessary to determine such
qualification.
1T IS desirable that the jury box
contain only live, available material
for jury service. It appears to the
grand jury that the principal difnculty
encountered In determining. upon those
to serve as jurors Is the first work Of
selecting names from which jurors are
to be drawn and to assist the jury COM
mission In obtaining names for wider
selection. It Is our opinion that legis-
lation should be obtained from Con-
gress which will enable Government
employees to serve on Circuit Court
juries; also notaries public, persons
holding war risk insurance and Govern
ment contracts should be available for
service In the Criminals Courts. Among
other qualifications, persons serving as
jurors now must be between the ages
OF IL and 65 years. We feel that o
person called upon to render jury Serv-
ice should be Of more mature years Of
thought than 81 years, and also that
there are many persons from 05 to 10
years OF age whose health might be the
only barrier to making competent jurors.
We therefore recommend that the age
limit be changed to read from IS to
10 years instead Of from II to IS
years
'We also recommend that jury COM
missioners be not required to be free
holders. The removal Of this restric-
ton will give to the court a wider lati-
tude from which to select persons for
membership on the jury commission.
"The grand jury recommends that
the bar association be requested to
formulate bill to be presented to Con-
gress, authorizing: (1) That Govern
ment employees be declared eligible for
that notaries public, persons having
contacts with the Government and these
holding war risk insurance, be declared
eligible for jury service In both Grim
inal and Circuit Courts; (3) that the
age limit for Jury service be changed
to read from as to 10 years instead
Of from II to IS years