Disability and Age in Jury Service Nondiscrimination Act

Summary

Bars excluding people from federal jury service because of disability and updates jury-qualification rules so that someone with a disability who can serve with a reasonable accommodation may not be disqualified. Also replaces older wording that allowed exclusion for “infirmity” with language focused on disabilities that cannot be reasonably accommodated.

• Prohibits excluding people from federal juries solely because of a disability when reasonable accommodations would allow them to serve.
• Replaces the older term “infirmity” with the narrower phrase “disability that cannot be reasonably accommodated.”
• Adds a statutory rule that prevents disqualification under existing jury-qualification paragraphs if accommodation would enable qualification.
• Applies to federal jury selection and qualification rules in 28 U.S.C.
• Likely increases the eligible jury pool by allowing people with disabilities and some older adults to serve with accommodations.
• Requires courts and jury administrators to consider and potentially provide reasonable accommodations.
• Does not create new federal spending programs or tax changes; implementation uses existing court processes.
• Focuses on nondiscrimination and accessibility in jury service rather than on procedural changes to trials themselves.