§ 1 Application of chapter to particular counties
§ 2 Judicial districts; eligibility for jury service
§ 3 Juror service
§ 4 Disqualification from juror service
§ 5 Office of jury commissioner
§ 6 Jury management advisory committee
§ 7 Jury commissioner and staff; appointment; salaries
§ 8 Rules of court; regulations
§ 9 Liability of cities and towns
§ 10 Numbered resident list
§ 11 Numbered resident file
§ 12 Number of prospective jurors
§ 13 Random selection of prospective jurors
§ 14 Typewritten lists from cities and towns not submitting numbered resident files
§ 15 Preparation of prospective juror list
§ 16 Master juror list; random shuffling; summoning jurors in sequence
§ 17 Letter of venire
§ 18 Discretionary determination of number of jurors to be summoned
§ 19 Juror summons; contents; postcard summons
§ 20 Notice of qualifications for juror service for each juror summoned
§ 21 Juror confirmation form included with summons other than postcard summons
§ 22 Confidential juror questionnaire for each prospective juror
§ 23 Use of juror questionnaire during voir dire
§ 24 Response to postcard summons; response to juror summons sent by first-class mail
§ 25 Final summons
§ 26 Summoning of additional grand or trial jurors; response; final summons
§ 27 Time and manner of service of additional jurors
§ 27A Questioning of summoned juror
§ 28 Cancellation of juror service
§ 29 Modification of juror service
§ 30 Standby jurors
§ 30A Talesmen
§ 31 Presentation by juror to clerk of summons, questionnaire and notices
§ 32 Wilful misrepresentations in juror questionnaire
§ 33 Criminal history records of jurors
§ 34 Postponement of term of juror service
§ 35 Juror service performed at any location within judicial district
§ 36 Notice of date of postponement or request for location transfer
§ 37 Postponement for reasons of important business of commonwealth or United States
§ 38 Availability for juror service by telephone notice
§ 39 Deferment or advancement of, or excuse from, juror service; term limitations; dismissal or discharge of juror
§ 40 Length of trial; excuse of juror
§ 41 Length of term of service of jurors
§ 42 Enforcement of chapter
§ 43 Delinquency notice
§ 44 Criminal complaint for delinquent juror
§ 45 Studies, research and new procedures
§ 46 Delegation of authority to jury commissioner
§ 47 Compensation and reimbursement policy
§ 48 Payment of regularly employed jurors
§ 49 Employers or self-employed jurors excused from payment
§ 50 Reimbursement of unemployed jurors for expenses
§ 51 Payment of trial juror by commonwealth
§ 52 Grand juror financial questionnaire
§ 53 Private hearing to determine rate of compensation of grand juror
§ 54 Payment of grand juror by commonwealth
§ 55 Compensation of absent, alternate, standby jurors and jurors on telephone notice; credit during adjournments
§ 56 Special awards of compensation and reimbursement; expenses; special arrangements
§ 56A Meals for jurors in accordance with their religious requirements
§ 57 Juror service certificate; contents
§ 58 Juror service certificates; tender to employer for compensation
§ 59 Form of payment of grand and trial jurors paid by commonwealth
§ 60 Employer liability for failure to pay juror-employee
§ 61 Violation of Sec. 60; harassment, etc. of employee
§ 62 Trial juror’s handbook
§ 63 Telephone lines established by office of jury commissioner
§ 64 Juror orientation
§ 65 Welcoming address to jurors
§ 66 Judicial discretion hearing with juror or employer
§ 67 List of grand and trial jurors expected to appear sent or delivered to appropriate clerks of court
§ 67A Examination of jurors
§ 67B Peremptory challenges
§ 67C Certain interests not to disqualify
§ 67D Voir dire procedures
§ 68 Additional jurors impanelled; alternate jurors
§ 68A Foreperson
§ 68B Number of jurors required to render verdict; instructions on sufficient numbers
§ 68C Failure of jury to agree
§ 69 Translators for deaf jurors
§ 69A View by jury
§ 70 Instruction to jury as to occupation or reputation of other jurors
§ 71 Fraud in processing or selection of jurors or prospective jurors
§ 72 Preservation of official records and papers compiled and maintained by office of jury commissioner
§ 73 Challenge of array
§ 74 Irregularities or defects causing mistrial or verdict to be set aside
§ 74A Gratuities
§ 75 Use of data processing equipment, etc. and electronic telecommunications systems
§ 76 Contracts and agreements with, and gifts, etc. from governmental units
§ 77 Contracts, agreements, gifts, etc.; deposit of funds
§ 78 Management of jurors by individual courts
§ 79 Annual report of jury commissioner
§ 80 Annual conference of participants
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Terms Used In Massachusetts General Laws > Chapter 234A - Office of Jury Commissioner for the Commonwealth

  • Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
  • Appellate: About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of another lower court or tribunal.
  • Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
  • Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
  • Bequest: Property gifted by will.
  • Charge to the jury: The judge's instructions to the jury concerning the law that applies to the facts of the case on trial.
  • Clerk of court: An officer appointed by the court to work with the chief judge in overseeing the court's administration, especially to assist in managing the flow of cases through the court and to maintain court records.
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
  • Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
  • Grand jury: agreement providing that a lender will delay exercising its rights (in the case of a mortgage,
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Juror: A person who is on the jury.
  • Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
  • Mistrial: An invalid trial, caused by fundamental error. When a mistrial is declared, the trial must start again from the selection of the jury.
  • Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
  • Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
  • Tort: A civil wrong or breach of a duty to another person, as outlined by law. A very common tort is negligent operation of a motor vehicle that results in property damage and personal injury in an automobile accident.
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
  • Trial jury: A group of citizens who hear the evidence presented by both sides at trial and determine the facts in dispute. Federal criminal juries consist of 12 persons. Federal civil juries consist of six persons.
  • Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.
  • Voir dire: The process by which judges and lawyers select a petit jury from among those eligible to serve, by questioning them to determine knowledge of the facts of the case and a willingness to decide the case only on the evidence presented in court. "Voir dire" is a phrase meaning "to speak the truth."