A scene from “Twelve Angry Men.”
Everett Collection
Critics of mandatory retirement ages for judges say judges should be allowed to stay on the bench into their golden years. Supporters of a bill advancing in Alabama think the age rules for jurors should be changed too. But in this case, they think older people should be allowed to skip jury duty.
Lawmakers in Montgomery are proposing to let people 70 years or older excuse themselves from jury duty. The measure, which passed the state Senate last month, was voted out of the House judiciary committee on Tuesday.
Under the bill, a resident 70 years or older can get themselves off the hook for three years by filling out an exemption form. After that period, the person may extend the exemption.
“It’s very simple,” the main sponsor of the bill, Sen. Priscilla Dunn, told the Montgomery Advertiser. “If you want to serve on the jury, you can serve. You don’t have to opt out.”
The legislation mirrors the federal jury system, which has an exemption option for people 70 or older.
Not everybody in the statehouse, though, sees the wisdom of releasing such broad swath of the adult population from an important civic obligation.
“People who have unbelievable wisdom and knowledge might not be there if they opt out,” Rep. Greg Burdine, an attorney, told the Alabama newspaper.
But others say the measure would give Alabama’s older, frail residents some peace of mind.
Reports the Advertiser:
Rob Sachar, the court administrator for the Montgomery County Circuit Court, said last month that he gets calls every day from nursing homes, care providers, family members and seniors themselves who are worried that they’re going to get in trouble or be picked up by the sheriff if they can’t make jury duty.
Sachar said there are a lot of people in their 70s and 80s who want to come in and serve, but it can be difficult for them because there’s a lot of sitting and waiting. He said it’s unfair to put that burden on them.
The options are more limited for judges in Alabama, which prohibits judges from being appointed or elected after they hit 70.