MS Code § 13-7-15 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 13 - Evidence, Process and Juries|Chapter 7 - State Grand Jury Act|§ 13-7-15. Creation of list of potential jurors; selection of jurors; grounds for excusing juror from service; swearing of jurors; compensation of jurors

 After the impaneling judge orders a term for the state grand jury on petition of the Attorney General, the impaneling judge shall order that the circuit clerk for each county shall proceed to draw at random from the jury box as provided by Section 13-5-26, the name of one (1) voter of such county for each two thousand (2,000) voters or fraction thereof registered in such county and shall place these names on a list. The circuit clerk shall not disqualify or excuse any individual whose name is drawn. When the list is compiled, the clerk of the circuit court for each county shall forward the list to the clerk of the state grand jury. Upon receipt of all the lists from the clerks of the circuit courts, the clerk of the state grand jury shall place all the names so received upon a list which shall be known as the master list.   The impaneling judge shall order the clerk of the state grand jury to produce the master list and shall direct the random drawing of the names of one hundred (100) persons from the master list. The names drawn shall be given to the clerk of the state grand jury who shall cause each person drawn for service to be served with a summons either personally by the sheriff of the county where the juror resides or by mail, addressed to the juror at his usual residence, business or post office address, requiring him to report for state grand jury service at a specified time and place as designated by the impaneling judge. From the one hundred (100) persons summoned, a state grand jury shall be drawn for that term consisting of twenty (20) persons. State grand jurors must be drawn in the same manner as jurors are drawn for service on the county grand jury.   All qualified persons shall be liable to serve as state grand jurors, unless excused by the court for one (1) of the following causes:   When the juror is ill, or when on account of serious illness in the juror's family, the presence of the juror is required at home;   When the juror's attendance would cause a serious financial loss to the juror or to the juror's business; or   When the juror is under an emergency, fairly equivalent to those mentioned in the foregoing paragraphs (a) and (b).   An excuse of illness under paragraph (a) may be made to the state grand jury clerk outside of open court by providing the clerk with either a certificate of a licensed physician or an affidavit of the juror, stating that the juror is ill or that there is a serious illness in the juror's family. The test of an excuse under paragraph (b) shall be whether, if the juror were incapacitated by illness or otherwise for a week, some other persons would be available or could reasonably be procured to carry on the business for the week, and the test of an excuse under paragraph (c) shall be such as to be the fair equivalent, under the circumstances of that prescribed under paragraph (b). In cases under paragraphs (b) and (c) the excuse must be made by the juror, in open court, under oath.   It shall be unlawful for any employer or other person to persuade or attempt to persuade any juror to avoid jury service, or to intimidate or to threaten any juror in that respect. So to do shall be deemed an interference with the administration of justice and a contempt of court and punishable as such.   Every citizen over sixty-five (65) years of age shall be exempt from service if he claims the privilege. No qualified juror shall be excluded because of such reason, but the same shall be a personal privilege to be claimed by any person selected for state grand jury duty. Any citizen over sixty-five (65) years of age may claim this personal privilege outside of open court by providing the clerk of court with information that allows the clerk to determine the validity of the claim.   The state grand jurors shall be charged by the impaneling judge as to their authority and responsibility under the law and each juror shall be sworn pursuant to Section 13-5-45. Nothing in this section shall be construed as limiting the right of the Attorney General or his designee to request that a potential state grand juror be excused for cause. The jury selection process shall be conducted by the impaneling judge. Jurors of a state grand jury shall receive reimbursement for travel and mileage as provided for state employees by Section 25-3-41 and shall be paid per diem compensation in the amount provided by Section 25-3-69. All compensation and expenses for meals and lodging of state grand jurors shall be paid out of any available funds appropriated for that purpose.