Sec. 1320.

(1) The board shall make a preliminary screening of the qualifications and exemptions of prospective jurors and shall not include in the second jury list the names of persons it finds not qualified or exempt; but the court may decide upon the qualifications and exemptions of prospective jurors upon a written application and satisfactory legal proof at any time after the jurors attend court.

(2) If a prospective juror without legal disqualification or exemption applies to the board to be excused from jury service, the jury board may, with the written approval of the chief circuit judge, exclude his or her name from the second jury list when it appears that the interests of the public or of the prospective juror will be materially injured by his or her attendance or the health of the juror or that of a member of his or her family requires his or her absence from court.

(3) If the name of a person who is deceased is selected for jury service, the name shall be removed from the second jury list and that fact may be forwarded to the local clerk.

(4) The trial judge, at his or her discretion, may grant a deferral of jury service to a person if the person claims that serving on the date he or she is called creates a hardship. If the trial judge grants a deferral, the judge shall determine a future date on which the person may serve without hardship, and shall direct the board to call the person on that date.

History: Add. 1968, Act 326, Eff. Nov. 15, 1968 ;-- Am. 1969, Act 326, Eff. Sept. 1, 1969 ;-- Am. 2004, Act 12, Eff. June 1, 2004