Opinion ID: 2509517
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Removal of Juror Robert B. After the Jury Was Sworn

Text: After the jury was sworn, but before counsel's opening statements, Juror Robert B. informed the court that he needed to fly to Seattle to deal with a family emergency. His mother was 82 years old, had shortness of breath, and he had just learned a nurse had been brought in to care for her. Robert B. did not know how long he would have to remain in Seattle, but he was willing to come back and serve on the jury if the trial could be delayed to accommodate him. The prosecutor proposed seating an alternate juror; the defense objected. The trial court remarked that perhaps the most prudent course would be to tell Juror Robert B. to phone the court after he arrived in Seattle and knew how long he had to stay, but ultimately rejected that course of action. Robert B.'s first priority, the court said, would and should be his ailing mother's condition, not his duty of jury service; he could not be expected to go to Seattle, see his mother, and immediately turn around and fly back to California. In discharging Juror Robert B., the trial court relied on Code of Civil Procedure section 233, which provides: If, before the jury has returned its verdict to the court, a juror becomes sick or, upon other good cause shown to the court, is found to be unable to perform his or her duty, the court may order the juror to be discharged. Similarly, Penal Code section 1089 provides: If at any time, whether before or after the final submission of the case to the jury, a juror dies or becomes ill, or upon other good cause shown to the court is found to be unable to perform his or her duty, or if a juror requests a discharge and good cause appears therefor, the court may order the juror to be discharged.... The decision to discharge a juror and substitute an alternate under Penal Code section 1089 rests within the discretion of the trial court. (See People v. Beeler (1995) 9 Cal.4th 953, 989, 39 Cal. Rptr.2d 607, 891 P.2d 153; People v. Abbott (1956) 47 Cal.2d 362, 371, 303 P.2d 730.) We review such a decision for abuse of discretion. ( People v. Beeler, supra, 9 Cal.4th at p. 989, 39 Cal.Rptr.2d 607, 891 P.2d 153.) Because we perceive no functional difference between Code of Civil Procedure section 233 and Penal Code section 1089, and the parties suggest none, we apply the same standard of review of abuse of discretion. Two Court of Appeal decisions under section 1089 are on point here. As in this case, both decisions involved medical emergencies. In People v. Hall (1979) 95 Cal. App.3d 299, 157 Cal.Rptr. 107, a juror informed the court on a Friday afternoon that he had to take his wife to a physician on Monday morning. The court asked the juror to be in court by 11 a.m., and to telephone if he could not do so. On Monday morning, the juror called the court and said he had to assist his wife the entire day. The trial court then discharged the juror and substituted an alternate juror. The Court of Appeal upheld the trial court's action, observing that the lower court's exercise of discretion was not rendered abusive merely because other alternative courses of action may have been available to the trial judge. ( Id. at p. 307, 157 Cal.Rptr. 107.) In People v. Bell (1998) 61 Cal.App.4th 282, 71 Cal.Rptr.2d 415, on the morning of the second day of trial, a juror told the trial court that he had to take his son to a doctor because of a medical emergency. The juror expected to be back in court by 1:30 p.m. He agreed to call the court by 10:30 a.m. to update his situation. The trial court, however, expressed doubt that the juror would be able to return that day, and it replaced the juror with an alternate juror to avoid inconvenience to the other jurors, alternates, and witnesses. (See id. at p. 288, 71 Cal.Rptr.2d 415.) Upholding the trial court's decision, the Court of Appeal in Bell stated: [T]he [trial] court conducted an adequate inquiry into good cause, and caring for a sick or injured family member surely constitutes good cause. [Citation.] Furthermore, given the uncertain timing of his return and the fact so many jurors, alternates, and witnesses were waiting, the court was well within its discretion to discharge juror No. 2 and replace him with an alternate juror. ( People v. Bell, supra, 61 Cal. App.4th at p. 289, 71 Cal.Rptr.2d 415.) We note also that two decisions of this court have upheld a trial court's discretionary decision to discharge a juror whose family member died unexpectedly, rejecting the defense counsel's suggestions that the court continue the trial until the juror could return. ( People v. Ashmus (1991) 54 Cal.3d 932, 986-987, 2 Cal.Rptr.2d 112, 820 P.2d 214; In re Mendes (1979) 23 Cal.3d 847, 852, 153 Cal.Rptr. 831, 592 P.2d 318.) We conclude that when, as here, a juror has good cause to be absent from trial for an indefinite period, the trial court does not abuse its discretion in replacing that juror with an alternate juror.