February 26

Bill would create jury opt-out for older Mainers

The Associated Press

AUGUSTA — Mainers who are 70 and older would be allowed to opt out of jury duty if a bill before the Legislature passes.

The sponsor, Rep. Windol Weaver, told the Judiciary Committee on Tuesday that health issues make it difficult for a lot of people in their advanced years to serve. The York Republican says there's no need to add stress to their lives by requiring them to serve on juries.

Weaver, whose bill faced no opposition at Tuesday's hearing, says 28 other states allow jury duty exemptions based on age.

A representative of the Maine court system spoke neither for nor against the bill. Mary Ann Lynch said it would reduce the pool of jurors, who are chosen from the state driver's license list, she didn't know by how much.

 

Were you interviewed for this story? If so, please fill out our accuracy form

Send question/comment to the editors




Further Discussion

Here at PressHerald.com we value our readers and are committed to growing our community by encouraging you to add to the discussion. To ensure conscientious dialogue we have implemented a strict no-bullying policy. To participate, you must follow our Terms of Use.

Questions about the article? Add them below and we’ll try to answer them or do a follow-up post as soon as we can. Technical problems? Email them to us with an exact description of the problem. Make sure to include:
  • Type of computer or mobile device your are using
  • Exact operating system and browser you are viewing the site on (TIP: You can easily determine your operating system here.)