Friday, April 02, 2004
Only 20% of qualified jurors in New York's state courts end up serving. There are probably a number of reasons that account for this, including the fact that most cases end up settling, (and the fact that "qualified" is a term that is close to meaning "breathing" in some instances), but it is certainly true that one of the biggest challenges in selecting a jury is finding panel members who want to serve, and are impartial. It is a big commitment, and right now it seems like talk radio and the like has placed such a high value on having an opinion, regardless of how informed it is, that it is difficult to find people who are unbiased. I like and believe in the jury system, but I wonder sometimes if it isn't breaking down.
// posted by Bill @ 10:25 AM 
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