The superior court at
least annually shall cause a jury source list to be compiled from
a list of all registered voters and a list of licensed drivers
and identicard holders residing in the county.
In a county with more than one superior court facility and a
separate case assignment area for each court facility, the jury
source list may be divided into jury assignment areas that
consist of registered voters and licensed drivers and identicard
holders residing in each jury assignment area. Jury assignment
area boundaries may be designated and adjusted by the
administrative office of the courts based on the most current
United States census data at the request of the majority of the
judges of the superior court when required for the efficient and
fair administration of justice.
The superior court upon receipt of the jury source list
shall compile a master jury list. The master jury list shall be
certified by the superior court and filed with the county clerk.
All previous jury source lists and master jury lists shall be
superseded. In the event that, for any reason, a county's jury
source list is not timely created and available for use at least
annually, the most recent previously compiled jury source list
for that county shall be used by the courts of that county on an
emergency basis only for the shortest period of time until a
current jury source list is created and available for use.
Upon receipt of amendments to the list of registered voters
and licensed drivers and identicard holders residing in the
county the superior court may update the jury source list and
master jury list as maintained by the county clerk accordingly.
[2005 c 199 § 2; 1993 c 408 § 5; 1988 c 188 § 4.]
NOTES:
Findings -- Intent -- 2005 c 199: "The legislature finds that superior courts with more than one superior court facility are asking some jurors to travel excessively long distances to attend court proceedings. In these cases, the legislature further finds that consideration of a juror's proximity to a particular courthouse can be accommodated while continuing to provide proportionate jury source list representation from distinctive groups within the community. The legislature intends to lessen the burdens borne by jurors fulfilling their civic duties by providing a mechanism that narrows the geographic area from which the jurors are drawn while maintaining a random and proportionate jury pool." [2005 c 199 § 1.]
Severability -- Effective dates -- 1993 c 408: See notes following RCW 2.36.054.
Legislative findings -- Severability -- Effective date -- 1988 c 188: See notes following RCW 2.36.010.