La. R. Dist. Ct. 12.1

As amended through May 31, 2024

Rule 12.1 - Central Jury Pool

There may be a central jury pool for civil cases. The central jury pool shall be administered by the clerk of court or the judicial administrator, if any has been appointed by the court, under the direct supervision of the court, in accordance with the following:

(a) Authorized personnel shall assemble the members of the general venire, present the orientation, call roll, and account for those members present and absent.

(b) The judges shall notify the clerk of court and the clerk of court shall notify the jury commission at least ninety days before the designated jury terms, which sections of the court will participate in each term. The jury commission shall select a general venire in a number directed by the judges. Authorized personnel shall randomly select from the general venire those persons who will comprise the central jury pool and shall determine the number of persons selected to compose the central jury pool based upon the number of civil jury trials remaining on the dockets.

(c) Authorized personnel shall select the required number of panels from the central jury pool. The panels shall be selected at random and indiscriminately from the central jury pool members then available. In civil cases, the number of jurors shall be determined by the judge presiding over the trial for which the panel is selected. If the need arises, the assigned judge may request additional persons from the central jury pool, who also shall be selected at random.

(d) Persons selected to serve on the central jury pool panel and not selected to serve on a jury shall be returned to the central jury pool.

(e) The chief judge, or his or her designee, shall qualify the members of the central jury pool.

(f) Any person requesting to be excused from jury service shall present the reasons in writing to the court, the clerk of court, or to the judicial administrator, when one has been appointed, who shall then communicate that request and the necessary information to the court, which shall determine whether to grant the request.

La. Dist. Ct. 12.1

Adopted April 1, 2002, effective 4/1/2002; amended November 20, 2009, effective 1/1/2010.

Comment

See Supreme Court Rule XXV, Section 2 regarding Jury Service.