Year: 1870

The jury. law passed by the last Legislature
is precisely of that character which we have
long needed in order to obtain such class of
jurors in our several COURTS as might be relied
upon to try a case intelligently and honestly.
1t is weliiknown that respectable citizens have
been Sinking jury duty. on the plea of busi-
ness and other pretexts, to such an extent that
the courts have been considerably embarrassed
to find a jury to try important cases. This
custom,has become an obstruction to the course
of law and justice which it is quite time to
remove. The new jury law treats the difficulty
boldly and covers the ground fully. The very
first section Of the statute explains it's whole
purport. It reads


No Judge or other oflcer In the city OF New York
shall excuse any person liable to serve as juror
and, duly drawn and summoned, from serving as a
Juror in any court OF record, unless shall be shown
under oath by such Juror, or, II he be unable to
attend ON his behaM that he is then necessarily alb
sent from the City and Will not return in time TO
serve or that he Is physically unable to serve, or
that OF his near relatives Is dead or dangerously
sick, provided that any court may in it's discretion
excuse juror from service for not than three
days at time when the exigencies Of his business
require temporary exemption


This is explicit enough. But in case juror
be not legally excused 1t is provided that any
court of record may bring him up and compel
his service in the jury box If he be duly drawn
and summoned. The exemptions from jury
duty comprise those who do not own real or
personal estate to the value of two hundred
and fifty dollars otherwise paupers), minis
ters Of the Gospel, teachers of schools, physi-
clans, attorneys practising in the Supreme
Court, United States officials, and those other
easy-going gentlemen who hold Office in the
State or county of New York; pilots, engi-
neers and captains of vessels; foreign consuls,
telegraph operators, good and true fremen,
who have served their term as prescribed by
law, and real soldiers Of the State militia
regiments, whether they have shouldered a
musket In the ranks, fourished sword and
sported gold lace at the head of company,
or footed on ffe or tappsba drum in 1.-The
'front.'"


There is a very important section in the law,
which provides that


any money or any other thing to any oiilcer clerk,
messenger or other person for the purpose Of en-
juror TO evade or be exempted excused from ser.
vice as Juror, who shall make any false state
ment or representation lot any Sucn purpose. or VINO
shall retain, conceal suppress or destroy any sum-


mons, notice or other paper relative to liability or


service juror left at the residence or place OF


business Of any person named or drawn as Juror,
shall be deemed guilty Of misdemean0r and shall,


conviction, be punished by ine or imprisonment,
! or both.


This touches the weakest spot, perhaps, in
our present jury system, and the enforcement


of this clause will do more towards giving us
| good iuries than any other portion Of the
statute. The law in the main is strict, but
not more strict than, from past experience, il
should be. 1t may prove ir1ksome to those
! who want to avoid one Of the first duties of a
citizen, but it will relieve our judges and pros
ecuting officers from great embarrassments
and will facilitate the course of law in all ouI
trihunals