Public Notice: Implementation of Revised Jury Plan for Random Jury Selection
Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1861, all litigants “have the right to grand and petit jurors selected at random from a fair cross section of the community.”
How names are drawn for jury service.
This court randomly selects jurors from voter registration lists, driver license records, and state-issued adult identification records, by a computerized method.
This selection process creates the court’s "Master Jury Wheel." (This term originated in the days when names were placed into a large barrel-type wheel and turned around to mix them up. Today, computers are used to select names randomly.) From the "Master Jury Wheel," jurors are randomly selected for a one month term of service or occasionally longer depending on the court's jury needs. Each prospective juror is mailed a summons for jury service and instructed to complete a juror qualification questionnaire. The summons contains instructions regarding the term of jury service. The questionnaire is to be completed and returned electronically or by U.S. mail.
Every two years the court empties its old "Master Jury Wheel" and creates a new one.
Qualifications for jury service.
To be qualified for jury service, a person must be a citizen of the United States; at least 18 years of age; able to read, write, speak, and understand the English language; and must reside in Colorado.
Persons who may not serve as jurors include those who have pending felony criminal charges which may be punishable by more than one year in prison; have been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor punishable by more than one year in prison without having their civil rights restored; have a permanent physical or mental disability that would prevent service as a juror; or hold certain occupations (full-time military, police, firefighters, or elected public official) that exempts them from service.