905.37 List of prospective jurors; impanelment; composition of jury; compensation. - Florida Statutes

905.37 List of prospective jurors; impanelment; composition of jury; compensation.

   (1) On or before July 15, 1973, and not later than the first week in December of each year thereafter, the chief judge of each judicial circuit shall cause to be compiled a list of persons called and certified for jury duty in each of the several counties in the circuit. From the lists of persons certified for jury duty in each of the several counties in his or her judicial circuit, the chief judge shall select by lot and at random a list of eligible prospective grand jurors from each county. The number of prospective statewide grand jurors to be selected from each county shall be determined on the basis of 3 such jurors for each 3,000 residents, or fraction thereof, in each county. When such lists are compiled, the chief judge of each judicial circuit shall cause the lists to be submitted to the state courts administrator on or before August 15, 1973, and not later than February 15 of each year thereafter.

   (2) The State Courts Administrator, upon receipt of the order of the Supreme Court granting a petition to impanel a statewide grand jury, shall certify and submit to the presiding judge the lists submitted by the chief judge of each judicial circuit. The Supreme Court shall provide in its order impaneling the statewide grand jury whether the prospective jurors are to be drawn from the jury lists, as selected, certified, and submitted pursuant to this section, from a designated circuit or circuits or from a statewide list containing the names of all persons who are named in the certified jury lists submitted by the chief judge of each judicial circuit. If the Supreme Court determines, based upon the facts set forth in the Governor’s petition, that the principal scope of the investigation to be conducted by the statewide grand jury is limited to a particular region or section of the state, or if, in the interest of convenience to the prospective grand jury witnesses, law enforcement officers, or others, the investigation could more appropriately operate within a particular region or section of the state, then, in either such event, the Supreme Court may designate the judicial circuits within that region of the state which shall be the base operating area for the statewide grand jury, from which designated circuits the prospective jurors of the statewide grand jury shall be selected. The presiding judge shall, by lot and at random, select and impanel the statewide grand jury from the jury lists of the designated circuits certified and submitted through State Courts Administrator, or of the composite statewide list, in accordance with the order of the Supreme Court. In selecting and impaneling the statewide grand jury in the manner prescribed herein, the presiding judge shall select no fewer than one statewide grand juror from each congressional district in the state. Each such prospective juror may be excused by the presiding judge upon a showing that service on the statewide grand jury will result in an unreasonable personal or financial hardship by virtue of the location or projected length of the grand jury investigation.

   (3) A statewide grand jury shall be composed of 18 members, of which 15 members shall constitute a quorum. Each member of the statewide grand jury must be qualified to serve as a juror as provided in s. 40.01. In all other respects, a statewide grand juror must have the same qualifications as provided in this chapter in the case of a county grand jury.

   (4) Upon receiving a summons to report for jury duty, any employee shall, on the next day the employee is engaged in his or her employment, exhibit the summons to his or her immediate superior; and the employee shall thereupon be excused from his or her employment for the period that the employee is actually required to be in court attendance, plus reasonable travel time.

   (5) While attending a session of the statewide grand jury, each grand juror is entitled to receive a fee of $35 per day. Additionally, each grand juror attending a grand jury session is entitled to receive per diem and travel expenses as provided under s. 112.061.

History. s. 1, ch. 73-132; s. 20, ch. 79-235; s. 2, ch. 84-145; s. 6, ch. 91-235; s. 1, ch. 91-424; s. 4, ch. 92-297; s. 7, ch. 95-427; s. 1507, ch. 97-102.