The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-12-14
STARK HAS SYSTEM
OKEEP JURY FREE
FROM ALLQUES7I0N
Strict Compliance With Law Is
Secret; Professional Tales
men Barred
Especial To The Tribune)

Dickinson, N. D., Dec. 14.-Strict
adherence to the letter and spirit Of
the law is the system used in Stark
county to prevent any question as to
methods of selecting jurors in Its
courts, according to T. N. Hartung
clerk of the Stark county district
court, whose comment was inspired
by the recent challenge to an entire
jury panel in Burleigh county.
After each term of court we issue
call for new names for the jury box
SO that at all times we have exactly
200 names In the jury box, no more
and no less" Hartung said.
I'VE pro-rate the number of names
from each subdivision on the num-
Der of votes cast at the last general
election, using the highest number OF
votes cast for any county official as
the basis. This number, apportioned
to each township, village or city (all
unorganized townships being classed
into the commissioners district in
which they are locate6 is called their
quota and each subdivision has its
quota in the box at all times.
Eve also have book in which we
list all of the voters in the county as
persons eligible for jury duty, as we
feel that by taking these names from
the poll books we can get the most
accurate list of all the persons eligible
to jury duty.
"As soon as one person has served
on jury his or her name is checked
off the list in this list of persons
eligible, so that at no time will any
person serve on the jury second
time before everyone else qualified
has served.
Judges Issue Booklet
Each time we issue call for jur-
Ors We inclose booklet, telling how
the jury should be drawn, to each
subdivision clerk or auditor
The booklet, entitled How the Jury
Should Be Drawn is signed by F. T.
Lembke, H. L. Berry and Thomas H
Pugh, judges of the sixth judicial dis
trict and is. in effect, a copy of the
law with comments by the judges.
The preface states From time to
time we hear of complaints about the
jury system and the methods employ
ed for selecting jurors for the trial
of cases. Many of the criticisms may
be avoided and expense saved the
county as well, If little care is ex-
ercised in making the selection OF
citizens to serve on the jury. We be-
lieve the code provisions for the selec-
ton of juries are adequate, if followed
and after consultation we have de-
cided that simple statement of the
law governing the selection of jurors
and juries will be of assistance to the
officers who have these important
duties to perform"
Although the booklet relates in non
technical language the provisions, OF
law and the procedure required for
the selection of jurors, it contains
some Illuminating comments by the
judges. Some of them fo,IW:
Careful attention to t.s,se matters
of qualification and exemption will
result in saving to the county"
IF the township, city or village
does not have such a (jury) book, It
should obtain one at once and put it
into use"
THE letter and spirit of the law
requires, and it is the duty of these
respective QocaD boards to so select
and arrange the names that no one
person shall come on the jury a second
time before all other qualified per-
sons shall have served respectively in
rotation" The latter part of this
injunction is printed in the booklet
in capital letters.