HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3618        FILED ON: 1/15/2009

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1633

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act to improve juror service..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1.  Section 4 of chapter 234A is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 8-9, the following: “the juror confirmation form” and inserting in place thereof the following: - “a juror summons response”

SECTION 2.  Section 21 of chapter 234A is hereby amended by striking out, in line 5, the following: “, and an alternate month, day, and year,”

SECTION 3.  Section 24 of chapter 234A is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 1-2, the following: “return the juror confirmation form, duly completed and signed,” and inserting in place thereof the following: - “respond to the juror summons”

SECTION 4.  Section 24 of chapter 234A is hereby amended by striking out, in line 4, the following: “envelope for this purpose.” and inserting in place thereof the following: - “means by which jurors can respond.”

SECTION 5.  Section 24 of chapter 234A is hereby amended by striking out, in line 7, the following: “return the completed confirmation form” and inserting in place thereof the following: - “respond to the juror summons”

SECTION 6.  Section 24 of chapter 234A is hereby amended by striking out, in line 8, the following: “confirmation form” and inserting in place thereof the following: - “juror summons”

SECTION 7.  Section 24 of chapter 234A is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 8-12, the following: “Where a juror is unable to return a juror confirmation form because of its loss or destruction or where there is insufficient time for the juror to confirm by mail, the office of jury commissioner may accept an oral confirmation from the juror by telephone or in person.” and inserting in place thereof the following: - “Grand and trial jurors may confirm their service by any other means approved by the jury commissioner including, but not limited to, telephonic and electronic means.”

SECTION 8.  Section 24 of chapter 234A is hereby amended by striking out, in line 12, the following word: “oral”

SECTION 9.  Section 25 of chapter 234A is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 2-3, the following: “duly completed and signed juror confirmation form” and inserting in place thereof the following: - “response to the juror summons”

SECTION 10.   Section 25 of chapter 234A is hereby amended by striking out, in line 9, the following:  “and questionnaire”

SECTION 11.  Section 25 of chapter 234A is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 10-11, the following: “return a duly completed and signed juror confirmation form within five days of its receipt.” and inserting in place thereof the following: - “respond to the second summons within five days of its receipt by the any of the means set forth in the provisions of section twenty-four of this chapter.”

SECTION 12.  Section 26 of chapter 234A is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 3-4, the following: “returned juror confirmation forms” and inserting in place thereof the following: - “responses to the juror summonses”

SECTION 13.  Section 26 of chapter 234A is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 6-7, the following: “return a duly completed and signed juror confirmation form” and inserting in place thereof the following: - “respond to the juror summons”

SECTION 14.  Section 26 of chapter 234A is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 9-10, the following: “duly completed and signed juror confirmation form” and inserting in place thereof the following: - “response to the juror summons”

SECTION 15.  Section 26 of chapter 234A is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 16-17, the following: “return a duly completed and signed juror confirmation form within five days of its receipt.” and inserting in place thereof the following: - “respond to the second summons within five days of its receipt by the any of the means set forth in the provisions of section twenty-four of this chapter.”

SECTION 16.  Section 34 of chapter 234A is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 3-4, the following: “duly completing and returning the juror confirmation form in which his election to postpone shall be indicated.” and inserting in place thereof the following: - “responding to the juror summons and indicating his or her election to postpone.”

SECTION 17.  Section 34 of chapter 234A is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 4-6, the following: “The month and date, and an alternate month and date, to which the service is postponed shall be indicated in the confirmation form.”  and inserting in place thereof the following: - “The month, day, and year to which the service is postponed shall be indicated in the response to the juror summons.”

SECTION 18.  Section 34 of chapter 234A is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 10-12, the following: “the alternate postponement date unless date[1] is also improper, unavailable, or inconvenient in which case the office of jury commissioner shall assign” 

SECTION 19.  Section 36 of chapter 234A is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 1-2, the following: “the juror confirmation form” and inserting in place thereof the following: - “a response to the juror summons”.