Motion challenging method of choosing jury

Motion challenging method of choosing jury

If it appears that the method of choosing the jury prejudiced the defendant's rights, it is important to move to challenge the manner in which the jury was selected. Depending on the statutes and court rules of the jurisdiction in which the trial occurs, a number of grounds for challenging the jury makeup may be argued. These include: jury commissioners lacked the qualifications required by law, irregular selection standards or procedures for composing the jury roll, and improperly sent or served jury notices or summons.FN93

In addition, challenges to the jury selection procedures or to the composition or the handling of the jury rolls, jury lists, venires, or panels may be based on violation of the federal law.FN94 These challenges must allege systematic exclusion of a racial or other distinct class of citizens, failure to draw a representative cross section of the community, or deprivation of an impartial jury by reason of prejudicial publicity, community hostility, or similar causes.