GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2013

 

 

SESSION LAW 2013-148

HOUSE BILL 879

 

 

AN ACT providing that jurors who serve their full term of service on a grand jury shall not be required to serve again as a grand juror or as a juror for a period of six years.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

SECTION 1.  G.S. 9-3 reads as rewritten:

"§ 9-3.  Qualifications of prospective jurors.

All persons are qualified to serve as jurors and to be included on the master jury list who are citizens of the State and residents of the county, who have not served as jurors during the preceding two years,years or who have not served a full term of service as grand jurors during the preceding six years, who are 18 years of age or over, who are physically and mentally competent, who can understand the English language, who have not been convicted of a felony or pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to an indictment charging a felony (or if convicted of a felony or having pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to an indictment charging a felony have had their citizenship restored pursuant to law), and who have not been adjudged non compos mentis. Persons not qualified under this section are subject to challenge for cause."

SECTION 2.  G.S. 9-7 reads as rewritten:

"§ 9-7.  Notation on master jury list of names of jurors who have served; retention.

(a)        The names of persons summoned for jury service and the date or dates on which each person served shall be noted on the master jury list. This information shall be retained for two years, and persons shall be exempt from jury service for a period of two years from the date on which they were discharged from their prior service.service, except as provided in subsection (b) of this section.

(b)        The names of persons summoned for jury service who served a full term on the grand jury pursuant to G.S. 15A-622, the date or dates on which each person served, and a notation that the person served the full term of service as a grand juror shall be noted on the master list. This information shall be retained for six years, and persons shall be exempt from jury service for a period of six years from the date on which they were discharged from their prior service."

SECTION 3.  G.S. 15A-622 reads as rewritten:

"§ 15A-622.  Formation and organization of grand juries; other preliminary matters.

(i)         Any grand juror who serves the full term of service under subsection (b) or subsection (h) of this section shall not be required to serve again as a grand juror or as a juror for a period of six years."


SECTION 4.  This act becomes effective January 1, 2014.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 13th day of June, 2013.

 

 

                                                                    s/  Daniel J. Forest

                                                                         President of the Senate

 

 

                                                                    s/  Thom Tillis

                                                                         Speaker of the House of Representatives

 

 

                                                                    s/  Pat McCrory

                                                                         Governor

 

 

Approved 4:25 p.m. this 19th day of June, 2013