Section 201.6. Jury selection commissions

(a) General rule. Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, the jury selection commission in each county of this Commonwealth consists of three or more persons selected as provided by 42 Pa.C.S. § 2122 (relating to composition of jury selection commissions).

(b) Home rule counties. As provided by 42 Pa.C.S. § 2121(b) (relating to jury selection commissions) a county home rule charter may supersede 42 Pa.C.S. § 2122. The following unofficial summary of local law is provided for the general information of the public system and and related personnel and shall not be construed as an authoritative interpretation of any provision of law:

(1) Delaware County. Sections 408 and 416 of the charter provide that a majority and minority jury commissioner shall be appointed by the County Council. The jury commissioners have all the powers and duties granted by applicable law, the charter or ordinance of County Council.

(2) Erie County. Section 3 of Article VI of the charter provides that there shall be a Jury Board which shall consist of the President Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, one other judge of the court appointed by the President Judge and a clerk appointed by the President Judge from among the clerks employed by the Department of Records; that the Jury Board shall have and exercise all powers and duties imposed upon it by applicable law pertaining to the selection of jurors; and that certain procedures shall be followed in the selection of jurors.

(3) Lackawanna County. Section 1706 of the charter abolishes the office of elected jury commissioner. Section 702(a) of the charter provides that the elected Sheriff shall have power relating to administration of jury service in the county.

(4) Lehigh County. Section 1105 of the charter, as amended, abolishes the office of elected jury commissioner. Section 501(d) of the charter, as amended, provides that jury selection and management shall be the responsibility of the Judiciary and grants plenary power and authority to carry out that responsibility. The ‘Judiciary’ is defined by Section 1009(m) of the charter to include the Court of Common Pleas; the Judicial Magisterial System within the 31st Judicial District; the offices of the Court Administrator and Clerk of the Orphans’ Court Division of the Court of Common Pleas; the Domestic Relations Section; the Probation Department; and such other offices sections, departments and/or agencies which do now or shall hereafter constitute part of the Judicial System within the County of Lehigh.

(5) Northampton County. Section 1303(a) of the charter abolishes the office of elected jury commissioner. Section 1304(b)(3) of the charter transfers the duties, powers and functions of the jury commissioners to the Court of Common Pleas.

The provisions of this § 201.6 adopted September 19, 1979, effective September 29, 1979, 9 Pa.B. 3304, amended February 8, 1980, effective February 9, 1980, 10 Pa.B. 644. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (45716).