LGR 18. Jury Assignment Area

(e) Location for Jury Assignment Areas for Civil and Criminal Cases Filed in King County.

(1) Designation of Jury Assignment Areas. The jury source list shall be divided into a Seattle jury assignment area and a Kent jury assignment area that consist of registered voters and licensed drivers and identicard holders residing in each jury assignment area. The area within each jury assignment area shall be identified by zip code and documented on a list maintained by the chief administrative officer for the court.

(2) Where Jurors Report. Individuals receiving a jury summons shall report for service to the Court facility in the jury assignment area identified on the face of the summons.

(3) Adjustment of Jury Assignment Area Boundaries. The jury assignment areas contained in this rule may be 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.

Comment

This rule implements RCW 2.36.055, which allows the jury source list in King County to be divided into jury assignment areas that consist of registered voters and licensed drivers and identicard holders residing in each jury assignment area. The purpose of the statute and this rule is to lessen the burdens borne by jurors in traveling long distances to attend court proceedings by narrowing the geographic area from which jurors are drawn while maintaining a random and proportionate jury pool.

[Adopted effective September 1, 2007; amended effective April 1, 2008; May 27, 2009.]