Evening star., 1944-05-14
D. {. Men Face
More Frequent
Calls for Jury
Moy Be Summoned
For Second Service
Within IS Months
BY JOSEPH YouNG

Due to the manpower shortage
District residents serving on juries
face recall for panel service within
IA to Is months of the time they
previously served, it was learned
yesterday.
A number of complaints have been
made to the District Jury Com
mission by citizens who have been
summoned for jury duty within 16
to 18 months after their last term
OF service. The commission. how
ever, reports that it may be forced
to call veniremen for further duty
within a shorter period. Under the
law any District resident may be
recalled for jury duty after one
year.
The commission blames the short
age of jurors on the great number
of men drafted for military service
Although the Districts population
has greatly increased during the
past few years, most newcomers
are not qualified to serve on juries
here since they retain their voting
residence in their home States, it
was explained.
Discomfort Shown Openly.
Discomfort among some iurymen
flared openly in District Court last
week when several members of the
District grand jury asked Justice
Matthew F. MCGUIRE If they had
the authority to investigate the
Jury Commission and find out how
1t selects jury candidates. Justice
Mcclure informed them it was h Z
within their jurisdiction to investa
gate the commission.
Most frequent complaint ear 1
among jurors is that they lhs e
been called on frequent ocr II .ons
for jury service, while nei tbors
have never been called. III
In answer to this complaint Mrs.
Katharine Casley and Mrs. SJulia
Shipley, commission clerks, RI. tort
that all names are selected In reg.
lar order from the city directory.
Only those men who are not bona
flde District residents are exempt,
they said. Women have the right
to decline to serve.
Prior to the war at least a three-
year period elapsed before the COM
mission was forced to recall citizens
a second time for jury. duty, but
the time element has shortened
steadily since then. Jurors on the
District, Municipal or Juvenile
Court juries serve for one month,
while grand jury members serve
three-month terms.
Recognized Difficulty.
Mrs. Casley said the commission
was sympathetic with some Of the
problems facing citizens called for
jury service.
'T know it's dificult for some
business and professional men to
be called twice within q year and
a half, especially If they have to
serve three months with the grand
jury" she said. She pointed out,
however, that in many instances
jurors are excused from
duty II 1t works business hardships
on them.
Mrs. Casley said II more women
accepted jury duty the situation
would be greatly improved. ITS
both patriotic and instructive to
serve on jury" she said.
Last year $4,000 persons received
questionnaires relative to jury duty
and of these 10000 were summoned
for examination. Slightly more
than half of this latter group were
for a variety of rea-
sons. Some were excused because
serving would work business hard
ships on them, others because of
religious beliefs. Still others didn't
meet educational requirements and
a large number OF women declined
to serve.
Approximately 400 persons
served as jurors in all branches of
the District judicial system. These
are some of the people who face
early recall unless greater num-
bers of women accept jury service.