Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter, the clerk of court or deputy clerk of court of a county, when drawing and summoning jurors for the court of common pleas, general sessions, or the grand jury, may utilize a computer for this purpose at the discretion of the governing body of the county. Computer software employed for the purpose of drawing and summoning jurors must be designed so as to ensure a random selection of jurors from the population available for jury service. The computerized drawing and summoning of jurors must take place in the office of the clerk of court as a public event to ensure the absolute integrity of the random selection process. The Supreme Court shall direct by order the appropriate procedures required to implement the provisions of this section.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 38-52; 1952 Code Section 38-52; 1942 Code Section 608; 1932 Code Section 608; Civ. P. '22 Section 548; Civ. C. '12 Section 4017; 1902 (23) 1066; 1915 (29) 76; 1933 (38) 446; 1939 (41) 27, 332, 543; 1941 (42) 70; 1967 (55) 895; 1974 (58) 2283; 1986 Act No. 340, Section 1, eff March 10, 1986; 1988 Act No. 299, eff February 2, 1988; 2006 Act No. 224, Section 1, eff February 3, 2006; 2012 Act No. 200, Section 2, eff June 7, 2012.

Effect of Amendment

The 1986 amendment rewrote this section.

The 1988 amendment added "or the grand jury," and replaced "shall direct" with "directs."

The 2006 amendment rewrote the first sentence and added the second through fifth sentences relating the design requirements for the computer software, the physical presence of jury commissioners, public drawing in the office of the clerk of court, and promulgation of appropriate procedures by order of the Supreme Court.

The 2012 amendment substituted "clerk of court or deputy clerk of court" for "jury commissioners" and removed "The physical presence of all the jury commissioners is not required at the computerized drawing and summoning of jurors if the governing body of the county establishes a secure procedure allowing for their participation by other means.".