S-1897 _______________________________________________
SENATE BILL NO. 5953
_______________________________________________
State of Washington 51st Legislature 1989 Regular Session
By Senators Pullen, Talmadge, Johnson and McMullen
Read first time 2/17/89 and referred to Committee on Law & Justice.
AN ACT Relating to the jury source list; amending RCW 2.36.010 and 2.36.055; creating a new section; and providing an effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. Section 1, chapter 48, Laws of 1891 as amended by section 2, chapter 188, Laws of 1988 and RCW 2.36.010 are each amended to read as follows:
Unless the context clearly requires otherwise the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.
(1) A jury is a body of persons temporarily selected from the qualified inhabitants of a particular district, and invested with power‑-
(a) To present or indict a person for a public offense.
(b) To try a question of fact.
(2) "Court" when used without further qualification means any superior court or court of limited jurisdiction in the state of Washington.
(3) "Judge" means every judicial officer authorized to hold or preside over a court. For purposes of this chapter "judge" does not include court commissioners or referees.
(4) "Juror" means any person summoned for service on a petit jury, grand jury, or jury of inquest as defined in this chapter.
(5) "Grand jury" means those twelve persons impaneled by a superior court to hear, examine, and investigate evidence concerning criminal activity and corruption.
(6) "Petit jury" means a body of persons twelve or less in number in the superior court and six in number in courts of limited jurisdiction, drawn by lot from the jurors in attendance upon the court at a particular session, and sworn to try and determine a question of fact.
(7) "Jury of inquest" means a body of persons six or fewer in number, but not fewer than four persons, summoned before the coroner or other ministerial officer, to inquire of particular facts.
(8)
"Jury source list" means the compiled list of all registered
voters for any county((, as compiled by each county auditor pursuant to the
provisions of chapter 29.07 RCW)) and licensed drivers who meet the
voter qualifications under RCW 2.36.070. The ((list)) listing of
registered voters shall specify each voter's name, residence address, and
precinct as shown on the original registration card of each qualified voter. The
listing of licensed drivers shall specify each licensee's name and residence
address. The list of registered voters shall be filed with the
superior court by the county auditor and the list of licensed drivers shall
be filed with the superior court by the director of licensing or the director's
designee.
(9) "Master jury list" means the list of prospective jurors from which jurors summoned to serve will be randomly selected. The master jury list shall be either randomly selected from the jury source list or may be an exact duplicate of the jury source list.
(10) "Jury term" means the period of time a person is required to serve as a juror. A jury term shall begin on the first Monday of each month and shall end on the Saturday immediately preceding the first Monday of each month, unless changed by the court. A jury term may be extended by the court if necessary for the administration of justice.
(11) "Jury panel" means those persons randomly selected for jury service for a particular jury term.
Sec. 2. Section 4, chapter 188, Laws of 1988 and RCW 2.36.055 are each amended to read as follows:
The county auditor shall prepare and file with the superior court at least annually, at a time or times set forth in an order of the judges of the superior court from the original registration files of voters of the county a list of all registered voters. The list may be divided into the respective voting precincts.
The director of licensing or the director's designee shall prepare and file with the superior court at least annually, at a time or times set forth in an order of the judges of the superior court, a list of all persons holding valid driver's licenses who meet the juror qualifications under RCW 2.36.070. The list shall be divided into respective counties.
The
superior court upon receipt of the list of registered voters filed by the
county auditor and the list of licensed drivers filed by the director of
licensing or the director's designee shall ((use that)) compile
those lists ((as)) to create the jury source list and
shall compile a master jury list from the source list. The master jury list
shall be certified by the superior court and filed with the county clerk. All
previous jury source lists and master jury lists shall be superseded. Jurors
shall be randomly selected from the merged list without regard for whether the
juror is on the list by virtue of his or her status as a registered voter or a
licensed driver.
Upon receipt of amendments to the list of registered voters from the county auditor and the list of licensed drivers from the director of licensing the superior court may update the jury source list and master jury list as maintained by the county clerk accordingly.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The office of the administrator for the courts shall report to the legislature by January 15, 1990, on the status of its plan to implement this act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. Sections 1 and 2 of this act shall take effect November 1, 1990.