Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §§ 412, 412a (Mar. 3, 1911, ch. 231, § 276, 36 Stat. 1164; Feb. 3, 1917, ch. 27, 39 Stat. 873; May 21, 1945, ch. 129, title IV, 59 Stat. 198; July 5, 1946, ch. 541, title IV, 60 Stat. 478).

The words “The district court” were substituted for the phrase “the judge thereof, or by the judge senior in commission in districts having more than one judge” to conform to other sections authorizing appointment of court officers. See section 751 of this title relating to appointment of district court clerk.

The limitation in section 412a of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., that jury commissioners shall serve no more than three days in any one term of court was omitted as unnecessary. This is a matter that may safely be left to the discretion of the court.

The last paragraph was added in conformity with section 11–1401 of the District of Columbia Code, 1940 ed., providing for three jury commissioners.

Changes were made in phraseology.

Senate Revision Amendment

As finally enacted, act July 9, 1947, ch. 211, title IV, 61 Stat. 304, which was classified to Title 28, U.S.C., 1946 ed., § 412a, was also a source of this section. Accordingly such act was included by Senate amendment in the schedule of repeals. See 80th Congress Senate Report No. 1559.

Editorial Notes
Amendments

2008—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 110–406, § 5(a), struck out “publicly” after “judge shall” in first sentence and inserted “The clerk or jury commission shall post a general notice for public review in the clerk’s office and on the court’s website explaining the process by which names are periodically and randomly drawn.” after first sentence.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 110–406, § 17(a), substituted “$1,000, imprisoned not more than three days, ordered to perform community service, or any combination thereof.” for “$100 or imprisoned not more than three days, or both.” in two places.

1988—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 100–702 amended second sentence generally. Prior to amendment, second sentence read as follows: “The clerk or jury commission shall prepare an alphabetical list of the names drawn, which list shall not be disclosed to any person except pursuant to the district court plan and to sections 1867 and 1868 of this title.”

1968—Pub. L. 90–274 substituted provisions for the public drawing of names from the master jury wheel, the completion of the jury qualification form, and the penalties for failure to appear and for misrepresentation of material facts for provisions requiring the drawing of names from a jury box, the refilling of the box by the clerk and a jury commissioner, the requirements and compensation of the commissioner, and the alternate placement of names by the clerk and the commissioner.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 1968 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 90–274 effective 270 days after Mar. 27, 1968, except as to cases in which an indictment has been returned or a petit jury empaneled prior to such effective date, see section 104 of Pub. L. 90–274, set out as a note under section 1861 of this title.