2021 Legislative Session Update - New Juror Qualifications

The Louisiana Legislature enacted a great number of new statutes and changes to the law during the 2021 Regular Session. For the next few weeks, we’ll be writing about some of the changes that might directly impact our clients in the future.

Effective August 1, 2021, people with felony convictions will be newly able to serve on juries without first receiving a pardon from the Governor. Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure Article 401(A) establishes the requirements for jury service. The change in the law allows individuals with felony convictions to serve on a jury if they are:

• not under indictment (meaning: without pending charges),

• not incarcerated,

• not on probation or parole, and

• if it has been more than 5 years since the latest of the above.

Essentially, once 5 years have passed from the last date an individual is incarcerated, on probation, on parole, or has pending charges (whichever is later), he is once again eligible for jury service.