§1869 Definitions

Summary

Defines important words used in this chapter. It explains who counts as court staff, what voter lists are, and what counts as hardship for skipping jury duty. Clerk or clerk of the court means the district court clerk, any authorized deputy, or anyone the court allows to help the clerk. Chief judge means the chief judge of a district court. Voter registration lists are the official records kept by state or local election officials of people registered to vote in the most recent state or federal general election; where registration is not required, it means other official lists of eligible voters; it also includes lists kept by a federal examiner under the Voting Rights Act when those names are not on the official state or local lists, and for Guam and the Virgin Islands it means the territorial records of the most recent territorial general election. Lists of actual voters are the official lists of people who actually voted in the most recent state or federal general election. Division means a statutory part of a judicial district or, if needed, the counties or parishes around court locations as set by the district court plan, and every county or parish is included. District court of the United States, district court, and court mean the federal trial courts created under chapter 5 and any territorial courts created by Congress with the same powers. Jury wheel means any system used to pick jurors, including properly programmed electronic systems. Juror qualification form means the court-approved form that asks for basic personal details, residence and travel distance to court, age, race, job, education, past jury service, citizenship, whether the person should be excused, health or disability, English ability, and whether they have pending charges or a conviction for a crime punishable by imprisonment for more than one year and have not had civil rights restored; it requires a sworn statement that answers are true, does not need notarization, may ask for other court-required information, and must state that religion, national origin, or economic status need not be given and that race is collected only to prevent discrimination. Public officer means someone elected to public office or directly appointed by an elected official. Undue hardship or extreme inconvenience means a serious problem that makes immediate jury service unfair, such as very long distance or travel time, a grave family illness, or another emergency the court finds; if a trial or grand jury might last more than thirty days, the court may also consider severe economic harm to an employer from losing a key employee. Jury summons means a summons sent by a clerk, jury commission, or their deputies that has a court seal and the issuing clerk’s name printed on the summons or its envelope.