Requires circuit judges to request jury lists composed from geographic areas.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. Section 612-15, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§612-15 Certified jury lists. (a) Every year the clerk of each circuit shall make and file, not later than January 5, one or more certified lists of the names and addresses of fifty citizens, or such greater number as the court may order, subject to serve as grand jurors during the ensuing year from and after January 15. Every year the clerk of each circuit shall likewise make and file, not later than December 20, a separate certified list of the names and addresses of citizens subject to serve as trial jurors during the ensuing year, from and after January 1, the number for each circuit to be such as the clerk considers necessary. The certified lists of grand jurors and trial jurors shall be compiled from names drawn at random from the qualified jury wheel, and shall be prepared in alphabetical sequence. Upon the order of the court, from time to time, additional lists of persons subject to serve as grand jurors shall be compiled and filed, and additional names shall be added to a grand or trial jury list; provided that all such additions shall be made by drawing from the qualified jury wheel for the appropriate year. When more than one grand jury list has been compiled, the sequence in which the lists are to be used shall be designated by the clerk according to the sequence of drawing. The names on the certified lists shall be open to public inspection, subject to orders of the court.

(b) In the second, third, and fifth circuits any circuit judge, and in the first circuit a majority of the circuit judges, at any time, for reasons appearing sufficient to the judge or them, may order the dissolution of any certified list of grand or trial jurors and order the clerk to make and file a new list, which may include any of the persons so discharged, to serve for the remainder of the year. The new list shall be compiled in the manner prescribed by the court. Until the new list is filed, grand or trial jurors may be drawn from a list thereof compiled and filed by the judge or judges making the order or one or more of them designated by the remainder, which list shall expire not later than thirty days after the filing thereof unless the period is extended, except that trial jurors may sit beyond the end of the period prescribed in this subsection and after the filing of a new list by the clerk, for the trial of any case in which the selection of the jury has already commenced.

(c) A circuit judge shall request from the clerk a jury list that contains only the names of persons who reside in the circuit within fifty miles from the court; provided that the list does not prevent the impaneling of juries that constitute a fair cross-section of the community."

SECTION 2. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.