Sponsors (12)
The bill expands and clarifies access to jury service for people with disabilities and improves representativeness and administrative consistency, but it will raise accommodation costs, may slow court proceedings, and could prompt disputes over what is 'reasonable.'
People with disabilities gain equal access to jury service because courts must provide reasonable accommodations instead of disqualifying them.
Juror pools become more representative and trials fairer by preventing exclusion of disabled individuals, benefiting defendants and the justice system.
Courts and clerks benefit from clearer statutory language, reducing inconsistent jury-qualification practices across districts and easing administration.
Taxpayers, courts, and local jurisdictions may face increased administrative costs to provide accommodations (e.g., interpreters, accessible facilities).
Jurors, defendants, and court schedules could experience delays while courts arrange or assess accommodation requests, slowing jury selection or trials.
People with disabilities and courts may see increased disputes or litigation over what constitutes a 'reasonable' accommodation, creating legal uncertainty and administrative burden.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Prevents exclusion of prospective federal jurors for disability or age-related "infirmity" when reasonable accommodation would allow them to serve.
Introduced July 28, 2025 by Edward John Markey · Last progress July 28, 2025
Prohibits disqualifying prospective federal jurors solely because of disability or age-related "infirmity" when a reasonable accommodation would allow them to serve. Replaces the term "infirmity" in federal jury-qualification law with the phrase "disability that cannot be reasonably accommodated" and bars excluding people from grand or petit jury service on disability grounds if they would qualify with reasonable accommodation.