Dear fellow Hanoverians:
I have had some interesting conversations over the past couple of
weeks about how Hanover residents are chosen for jury duty. I thought
I would therefore take a minute to explain the process for anyone who
might be interested! First, all Town Clerks across the Commonwealth
have a list of prospective jurors. Residents of Hanover can call,
e-mail or stop by the Clerk’s Office to see if they are on the list
for this year. This is prescribed by Massachusetts General Laws
Chapter 234A.
So, how do you get on “the juror’s list”? Here are some excerpts
from the law that explain the process:
“On or before the first day of June of each year, each city and town
shall make a sequentially numbered list of the names, addresses, and
dates of birth of all persons who were seventeen years of age or older
as of the first day of January of the current year and who resided as
of the first day of January of the current year in such city or town.
The names of residents shall be listed and numbered, without
duplication, in alphabetical order, one name to each number, along
with such other information and in such form and format as shall be
specified in the regulations of the jury commissioner. On or before
the said date, each city and town shall submit one copy of this list
to the office of jury commissioner and make a copy of such list
available for inspection by members of the public. Hereinafter in this
chapter, such list shall be referred to as the “numbered resident
list” and a particular individual on such list shall be referred to
as a “numbered resident”.
On or before the first day of July of each year, the office of jury
commissioner shall determine the number of prospective jurors to be
drawn from each city and town. This number shall be as nearly as
possible equal to the ratio of the population of the city or town to
the entire population of the judicial district in which the particular
city or town is situated, multiplied by the total number of
prospective jurors required for the judicial district.
On or before the first day of September of each year, the office of
the jury commissioner shall randomly select prospective jurors for
each city and town from the corresponding numbered resident list or
numbered resident file. Each such numbered resident, so identified and
selected, shall be a prospective juror of the city or town.”
The town creates the original “numbered resident list” with
information from several sources: the town’s census, the Registry of
Motor Vehicles (if you own a car, have a driver’s license or
permit), and/or from the list of registered voters. None of these
information sources is more important than another; inclusion from any
source lands you on the “numbered resident list”. Multiple actions
(such as being on the census AND being registered to vote) does NOT
make it more likely that you will be chosen for jury service. A
resident only gets listed on the “numbered resident list” that
goes to the Office of Jury Commissioner once.
For further information, please contact the Town Clerk’s Office at
clerk@hanover-ma.gov
.
For “Around Town on the Web”,
Cathy H-B
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