Terms Used In Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure 783

  • Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Juror: A person who is on the jury.
  • Petit jury: A group of citizens who hear the evidence presented by both sides at trial and determine the facts in dispute. Federal criminal juries consist of 12 persons. Federal civil juries consist of six persons.

A.  The court may excuse a member of the petit jury venire at any time prior to the time he is sworn as a juror to try a particular case.  The panel shall be selected from the remaining members of the petit jury venire.  The court, either on its own motion, or that of the state or a defendant, may order the attachment of an absent and unexcused petit jury venireman.

B.  If jury service, whether criminal or civil, would result in undue hardship or extreme inconvenience, the district court may excuse a person from such service either prior to or after his selection for the general venire, jury pool, or jury wheel.  The court may take such action on its own initiative or on recommendation of an official or employee designated by the court.

C.  No person or group of persons shall be automatically excused.

D.  In the event a person is excused because jury service would result in undue hardship or extreme inconvenience, the court may order that person’s name be placed again in the general venire or in a central jury pool.

Amended by Acts 1976, No. 212, §2; Acts 1977, No. 378, §1.