756.01(2)
(2) Subsection (1) shall not exempt, exclude or disqualify a person from jury service on the ground of infirmity because of a physical condition unless the judge finds that the person clearly cannot fulfill the responsibilities of a juror. The judge shall not consider the structural, physical or architectural limitations or barriers of a building, courtroom, jury box or other facility in making such a finding.
756.01 Annotation
Purpose of (2) is to protect jurors, not litigants. See note to 756.04, citing State v. Coble, 95 W (2d) 717, 291 NW (2d) 652 (Ct. App. 1980); aff'd 100 W (2d) 179, 301 NW (2d) 221 (1981).
756.01 Annotation
Law enforcement officers should not be automatically excused for cause from venire on grounds of implied bias. State v. Louis, 156 W (2d) 470, 457 NW (2d) 484 (1990).
756.01 Annotation
Persons 18, 19 and 20, who are electors of this state, must be included within that class of citizens from which jurors are chosen for service in the courts of our state. 61 Atty. Gen. 137.
756.01 Annotation
State v. Louis: A Missed Opportunity to Clarify when Law Enforcement Officials May Serve as Petit Jurors in Criminal Cases. 1992 WLR 757.
756.02
756.02
Exemptions and excuses from jury service. 756.02(2)(a)(a) Any person or group of persons may be excluded from the jury panel or excused from service as jurors by order of the judge or, if authorized under
sub. (4), by a determination made by the clerk of circuit court based on a finding that jury service would entail undue hardship, including undue hardship caused by the aging process, extreme inconvenience or serious obstruction or delay in the fair and impartial administration of justice. The exclusion or excuse shall continue for a period deemed necessary by the judge or the clerk of circuit court, at the conclusion of which the person or group of persons shall reappear for jury service in accordance with the order of the judge or the determination made by the clerk of circuit court. If the clerk of circuit court excludes or excuses a person under this subsection, the clerk of circuit court shall secure from the person a sworn statement that provides evidence of the grounds for the exclusion or excuse.
756.02(2)(b)
(b) A state legislator or full-time elected official shall be excused from service as a juror if the official states to the court that jury service would interfere with the performance of his or her official duties.
756.02(3)
(3) No citizen may be excluded from service as grand or petit juror in any court of this state on account of race or color or because of a physical condition, except as provided in
s. 756.01 (2).
756.02(4)
(4) A majority of the circuit court judges in the county may authorize the clerk of circuit court to grant exclusions or excuses under
sub. (2). The authorization may limit the grounds on which the clerk may grant the exclusion or excuse.
756.02 Note
NOTE: 1991 Wis. Act 271, which affected this section, contains extensive legislative council notes.
756.02 Annotation
See note to art. I, sec. 7, citing Brown v. State, 58 W (2d) 158, 205 NW (2d) 566.
756.025
756.025
Parties to actions disqualified. Every person summoned as a juror shall be paid and discharged if it appears that the person is a party to any action triable by jury at that time.
756.025 History
History: Sup. Ct. Order, 67 W (2d) 585, 757 (1975);
1975 c. 218;
1977 c. 187 s.
95;
1977 c. 449; Stats. 1977 s. 756.025.
756.03
756.03
Jury commissioners. 756.03(1)(1) The county board shall determine if the selection of jurors shall be by the clerk of circuit court or by jury commissioners appointed by the circuit court judges. If jury commissioners are appointed, there shall be 3 jury commissioners in the county. They must be qualified electors of the county and possess the qualifications required for jurors by
s. 756.01. Jury commissioners shall be appointed by the joint action of the judges of the circuit court for the county. One commissioner shall be appointed each year for a term of 3 years commencing on July 1 following the appointment. Appointments shall be made in writing and shall be filed in the office of the clerk of circuit court.
756.03(2)
(2) Before entering upon the duties of office each commissioner shall take and subscribe the following oath: "I do solemnly swear that I will honestly and faithfully discharge the duties of a jury commissioner without fear or favor; and that I will not consent to the selection of a person as juror whom I believe to be unfit for jury duty, or likely to render a partial verdict; and that I will report to the court the names of all persons who seek to influence me in the selection of jurors". The oath shall be filed in the office of the clerk of the circuit court of the county.
756.03(3)
(3) In all counties having a population of less than 500,000 the commissioners shall be paid for each day's service at the same rate as fixed by the county board for the payment of grand and petit jurors under
s. 756.25 and 15 cents for each mile traveled in the discharge of their duties. Such compensation and mileage shall be paid by the county treasurer upon order of the judge of the court for which the jury commissioners discharged their duties, upon certification of the clerk of the court. In counties having a population of 500,000 or more, the county board shall fix the salary of the commissioners. The commissioners shall be provided with such articles, books, postage, stationery, office space and assistants as shall be required by them to properly discharge their duties, upon the recommendation of the circuit judge, or circuit judges, of the several counties.
756.03(4)
(4) The commissioners shall meet at such times as the discharge of their duties requires and at such times as the appointing judge or judges or any of them shall direct. Two commissioners shall constitute a quorum. They may subpoena any person to appear before them within the town, village or city where the person resides for examination as to any person's qualifications for jury service, and may compel the person to give testimony under oath. The commissioners may investigate by inquiries at any person's place of business, residence, or elsewhere, or by other means, his or her fitness for jury service. All public officers and employes shall furnish the commissioners, upon their request, the records and assistance which the commissioners deem proper to perform their duties.
756.03(5)
(5) The clerk of circuit court shall perform the functions of the jury commissioners set forth in this chapter in a county in which jury commissioners are not appointed.
756.03 History
History: 1977 c. 187 ss.
95,
135;
1977 c. 199,
273,
318;
1977 c. 447 ss.
182,
210;
1977 c. 449; Stats. 1977 s. 756.03;
1991 a. 271.
756.03 Note
NOTE: 1991 Wis. Act 271, which affected this section, contains extensive legislative council notes.
756.03 Annotation
Sections 756.03 and 756.031 do not unconstitutionally restrict free expression. 69 Atty. Gen. 19.
756.031
756.031
Official malfeasance in preparing jury list. Any person who asks or solicits any jury commissioner appointed under
s. 756.03, or the sheriff or other officer to select him or her or any other person, or place his or her name or the name of any other person on any list as a grand or petit juror in any court, and any such jury commissioner or sheriff or other officer who selects the person or places his or her name upon any such list upon such solicitation may be fined not more than $100 or imprisoned not more than 6 months.
756.031 History
History: 1977 c. 187 s.
95;
1977 c. 318,
447; Stats. 1977 s. 756.031.
756.031 Annotation
Sections 756.03 and 756.031 do not unconstitutionally restrict free expression. 69 Atty. Gen. 19.
756.04
756.04
Petit jurors; lists; number; how drawn. 756.04(1)(a)
(a) "Department" means the department of transportation.
756.04(1)(b)
(b) "Department list" means a compilation of information prepared by the department that includes the names, addresses, dates of birth, race and gender of persons who are licensed as motor vehicle operators under
ch. 343 or who have received identification cards under
s. 343.50 or
343.51.
756.04(1)(c)
(c) "Race" means African American, Caucasian, Hispanic, native American or other racial category.
756.04(1g)
(1g) Petit jurors for all circuit courts when exercising civil or criminal jurisdiction shall be drawn and obtained as prescribed in
ss. 756.04 to
756.06.
756.04(1r)
(1r) The department shall transmit annually, on a date established by the secretary of transportation, to the clerk of circuit court of each county, at no charge, a department list of persons residing in that county. The department shall establish uniform specifications regarding the size, format and content of computer tapes or other media used to prepare the department list.
756.04(2)(a)(a) The jury commissioners shall annually provide for each court covered by
sub. (1g), unless the judge or judges of the county order more frequently, one countywide list of at least 200 names of persons to be drawn from the county to serve as petit jurors. The commissioners shall revise the list by striking from it the names of persons found by them to be ineligible for jury service, as provided in
s. 756.01, and add to the list the names of additional persons as provided in
s. 756.05. The list shall be certified by the commissioners as having been prepared in strict conformity with statutory requirements. The list shall also include a verified statement describing the manner in which the list was compiled or modified, including an enumeration of all public or private sources from which the names of the prospective jurors on the list were derived.
756.04(2)(am)1.1. The jury commissioners shall select randomly the names under
par. (a) from the department list or from a master list that is established under
subd. 2. and that consists of the department list and one or more other lists of county residents, including but not limited to the following:
756.04(2)(am)2.
2. If more than the department list is used, the jury commissioners shall select randomly a sample of names from each source used. The same percentage of names shall be selected from each source used. The department list shall be designated a primary source, and the names selected from that source shall be compared with the list of names from the 2nd source. Duplicate names shall be removed from the 2nd source sample and the remaining names shall be combined with the sample of names selected from the primary source to form the master list. If more than 2 source lists are used, this process shall be repeated, using the previously combined list for comparison with the new source list.
756.04(2)(b)1.1. The commissioners shall determine eligibility for jury service by mailing to every prospective juror on the list a juror qualification form accompanied by instructions to fill out and return the form to the commissioners within 10 days after its receipt. The form shall elicit the information specified under
s. 756.01, shall elicit the race of the prospective juror and shall contain a declaration that the responses are true to the best of the person's knowledge and an acknowledgment that upon a wilful misrepresentation of a material fact or failure to return the completed form within 10 days after its receipt the person may forfeit not more than $500. If the prospective juror is unable to fill out the form, another person may complete it and shall indicate that he or she has done so and the reason therefor. If it appears there is an omission, ambiguity or error in a returned form, the commissioners shall send the incomplete form back to the person with instructions to make the necessary addition, clarification or correction and to return the form to the commissioners within 10 days after its receipt.
756.04(2)(b)2.
2. Whoever wilfully misrepresents any material fact on a juror qualification form or fails to return the completed form within 10 days after its receipt may forfeit not more than $500.
756.04(2)(c)
(c) A certified copy of the list, containing the name and the address and occupation of each person named in the list, shall be furnished to the clerk of circuit court, to be kept by him or her for the use of the courts and for public inspection. The name of each person listed shall be written by a commissioner on separate cards of like weight, size and color and measuring not more than 1 by 3 inches. All cards shall be placed in separate opaque envelopes of like weight, size and color and only large enough to admit the cards. The commissioners shall provide a master tumbler into which all the cards shall be placed. The tumbler shall have only one opening, and shall be kept locked at all times, except when the list is being revised or when the jury panel is being drawn therefrom. The tumbler shall be kept secure by the clerk of circuit court against unauthorized entry therein.
756.04(2)(d)
(d) The commissioners shall furnish, upon periodic request of the sheriff, a current list of the names of persons available for jury duty in mental inquiries and reexaminations, inquests of the dead and for such other purposes as the sheriff is required by law to summon or select a jury.
756.04(3)
(3) At least once each year or more often if the clerk of circuit court so requests or the chief judge of the judicial administrative district so directs, the clerk, in the presence of at least 2 of the commissioners, if any, shall draw a sufficient number of names from the tumbler. The clerk shall rotate the tumbler before each name is drawn. The commissioners shall write the person's name, occupation and address in the order in which it was drawn, upon a panel list provided for that purpose, at the bottom of which the commissioners shall certify that the drawing was in accordance with law. In like manner, the clerk shall then draw a sufficient number of names of additional persons to be recorded upon a reserve-panel list. Persons shall be summoned in the order in which their names appear on the reserve-panel list in the event and to the extent that the regular panel is inadequate. When summoned, those persons become a part of the regular panel. The commissioners, if any, shall keep the regular and reserve-panel lists and furnish the clerk with a signed duplicate of those lists. If there are no commissioners, the clerk shall keep the regular and reserve-panel lists.
756.04(4)
(4) No advertisement of the drawing need be given, but the clerk shall fix the date of the drawing and give 5 days' notice thereof to the commissioners.
756.04(5)
(5) The names in the master tumbler shall be discarded each year prior to the introduction of new names under
sub. (2) (a).
756.04 Note
NOTE: 1991 Wis. Act 271, which affected this section, contains extensive legislative council notes.
756.04 Annotation
The Milwaukee system of separate jury panels is not improper in the absence of a showing of bias. McKissick v. State, 49 W (2d) 537, 182 NW (2d) 282.
756.04 Annotation
Defendants' contention that the jury panel had to have more black people on it to insure them an impartial trial has no validity, no claim being made of intentional elimination of blacks from the panel or discrimination against blacks in any way. Nelson v. State, 54 W (2d) 758, 196 NW (2d) 710.
756.04 Annotation
See note to Art. I, sec. 7, citing Wilson v. State, 59 W (2d) 269, 208 NW (2d) 134.
756.04 Annotation
Commissioner exceeded authority by striking potential jurors for reasons not provided in 756.01 (1), but no prejudice inured to parties involved. State v. Coble, 95 W (2d) 717, 291 NW (2d) 652 (Ct. App. 1980); aff'd 100 W (2d) 179, 301 NW (2d) 221 (1981).
756.04 Annotation
Sub. (3) does not require selection of new jury panel before every jury trial. "Specialized" panels upheld. In re Paternity of S.M.S. 129 W (2d) 310, 384 NW (2d) 709 (Ct. App. 1986).
756.041
756.041
Penalty upon clerk for fraud. If the clerk of any court shall be guilty of any fraud, either by practicing on a jury tumbler previously to a draft, or in drawing a juror, or in returning into the tumbler the name of any juror which had been lawfully drawn out, and drawing or substituting another in his or her place, or in any other way, or in the drawing of jurors, he or she shall forfeit for each offense not less than $50 nor more than $500.
756.041 History
History: 1977 c. 187 s.
95; Stats. 1977 s. 756.041.
756.05
756.05
Insufficient number of jurors. If after the expiration of the time prescribed for the drawing of petit jurors there is a partial or entire absence of jurors of the regular or reserve-panel or both, from any cause whatever, or if it becomes apparent to the court or the trial judge that the regular panel and the reserve-panel as drawn will not be sufficient to provide a jury for a particular cause to be tried, the court or judge may order the clerk, in his or her presence, to draw immediately from the tumbler a sufficient number of names, specifying the number, to fill the regular panel or a lesser or larger number as the public interest and the condition and character of the business requires. Whenever the list of names furnished any such court has been depleted the commissioners shall supply other names so that there will not be less than 150 names in the tumbler at the time any drawing of jurors takes place. The names shall be placed on cards as prescribed in
s. 756.04 (2) (c) and placed in the master tumbler.
756.05 History
History: 1977 c. 187 s.
95;
1977 c. 318,
447,
449; Stats. 1977 s. 756.05.
756.06
756.06
Bystanders, when called. When a sufficient number of jurors, so drawn and summoned, cannot be obtained for any trial the court may order persons qualified to serve as jurors to be returned from the bystanders for the trial thereof.
756.06 History
History: 1977 c. 187 s.
95; Stats. 1977 s. 756.06.
756.08
756.08
Jury summons, when and how issued. At least 12 days before the first day on which a jury is required to be present, the clerk shall summon the persons drawn as jurors to appear before the court at such time as is fixed by the presiding judge of the court, to serve as petit jurors. The summons may be served by mail or another method chosen by the clerk. When ordered to draw a grand jury, the clerk shall summon the persons so drawn as grand jurors to appear before the court at the time specified in the order. The summons may be served by mail or another method chosen by the clerk.
756.08 History
History: 1977 c. 187 s.
95;
1977 c. 318,
447,
449; Stats. 1977 s. 756.08.
756.095
756.095
Fine for official neglect in impaneling jury. When, by neglect of any of the duties required in this chapter to be performed by any of the officers or persons therein mentioned, the jurors to be returned shall not be duly drawn and summoned to attend the court, every person guilty of such neglect shall pay a fine not exceeding $20, to be imposed by the same court, into the treasury of the county in which the offense is committed.
756.095 History
History: 1977 c. 187 ss.
95,
135; Stats. 1977 s. 756.095.
756.096
756.096
Drawing of petit jury. 756.096(1)
(1) When jurors are drawn as provided in
s. 756.04 the clerk shall place in a tumbler only the names of the petit jurors who have been drawn and summoned according to law for service. The names shall be written upon separate cards and enclosed in opaque envelopes as required by
s. 756.04 (2) (c).
756.096(2)(a)(a) Except as provided in
par. (b), if a jury issue is to be tried the clerk shall, in the presence and under the direction of the court, openly draw out of the tumbler, one at a time, as many envelopes containing cards as are necessary to secure a jury. Before drawing each card the clerk shall close the tumbler and rotate it.
756.096(2)(b)
(b) If automated systems are being used under
s. 756.27, the names shall be selected in a random manner until the desired number is obtained.
756.096(3)(a)(a) A jury in felony cases shall consist of 12 persons unless both parties agree on a lesser number as provided in
s. 972.02.
756.096(3)(am)
(am) A jury in misdemeanor cases shall consist of 6 persons.
756.096(3)(b)1.1. Except as provided in
subd. 2., a jury in civil cases shall consist of 6 persons unless a party requests a greater number, not to exceed 12. The court, on its own motion may require a greater number, not to exceed 12.
756.096(3)(b)2.
2. A jury in cases involving an offense for which a forfeiture may be imposed shall consist of 6 persons.
756.096(3)(e)
(e) Notwithstanding
par. (b), a jury in a proceeding under
s. 48.13 shall consist of 6 persons and a jury in a proceeding under
s. 48.42 shall consist of 12 persons unless the parties agree to a lesser number.
756.096(4)
(4) Any person who is excused or whose name has been set aside regarding service with a jury shall be eligible for other jury service as soon as the jury is sworn.
756.096(5)
(5) If a jury issue is brought to trial while a jury is trying another cause, the court may order a jury for the trial of the former to be drawn out of the tumbler under
subs. (1) and
(2). In any other case all the cards containing the names of the petit jurors, returned at and attending, shall be placed in the tumbler before a jury is drawn.
