HB26-1288 • 2026

Jury Selection Requirements

The bill establishes certain requirements for jury questionnaires that are completed prior to conducting voir dire. The bill requires a minimum amount of time for each party to conduct voir dire. The

Crime

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Rep. M. Carter, Rep. J. Joseph, Sen. D. Roberts, Sen. K. Wallace, Rep. J. Bacon, Rep. C. Clifford
Last action: 2026-04-20
Official status: Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Judiciary
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation included details about the working group's membership, duties, and reporting requirements that were not explicitly stated in the provided official summary text.

Jury Selection Requirements

The bill sets requirements for jury questionnaires, time limits for questioning potential jurors during voir dire, and creates a working group to study and recommend improvements in jury selection processes.

What This Bill Does

Sets requirements for jury questionnaires that are completed before questioning potential jurors (voir dire).
Establishes minimum times for each party to ask questions of potential jurors in both civil and criminal cases, with the lengths depending on the seriousness of the charges.
Allows courts to extend the time for questioning beyond the set minimums if needed.
Creates a jury selection working group within the judicial department to study best practices and recommend changes to improve jury selection processes.

Who It Names or Affects

Courts that handle civil and criminal cases
Lawyers involved in jury selection

Terms To Know

Voir dire: The process of questioning potential jurors to determine their suitability for service on a jury.
Working group: A team created by the bill to study and recommend improvements in jury selection processes.

Limits and Unknowns

Does not specify how long after June 15, 2026, appointments for working group members must be made.
The final report from the working group is due on a date determined by its co-chairs but no later than December 1, 2027.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

L.002

HOU Judiciary

Passed [*]

Plain English: HB1288_L.002 HOUSE COMMITTEE OF REFERENCE AMENDMENT Committee on Judiciary.

HB1288_L.002 HOUSE COMMITTEE OF REFERENCE AMENDMENT Committee on Judiciary.
HB26-1288 be amended as follows: 1 Amend printed bill, strike everything below the enacting clause and 2 substitute: 3 "SECTION 1.
In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 13-3-121 as 4 follows: 5 13-3-121.
Jury selection working group - creation - members 6 - duties - report - definition - repeal.

L.004

Second Reading

Passed [**]

Plain English: HB1288_L.004 Amendment No.

HB1288_L.004 Amendment No.
___________ HB26-1288 HOUSE FLOOR AMENDMENT Second Reading BY REPRESENTATIVE Joseph 1 Amend the Judiciary Committee Report, dated April 1, 2026, page 3, 2 strike line 2.
3 Renumber succeeding subparagraphs accordingly.
** *** ** *** ** LLS: Jacob Baus x2173

Bill History

2026-04-20 Senate
Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Judiciary
2026-04-16 House
House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments
2026-04-15 House
House Third Reading Laid Over Daily - No Amendments
2026-04-14 House
House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee, Floor
2026-04-07 House
House Second Reading Laid Over Daily - No Amendments
2026-04-01 House
House Committee on Judiciary Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole
2026-02-23 House
Introduced In House - Assigned to Judiciary

Official Summary Text

The bill establishes certain requirements for jury questionnaires that are completed prior to conducting voir dire.

The bill requires a minimum amount of time for each party to conduct voir dire. The bill establishes the lengths of required time for civil cases and criminal cases, with the lengths of required time for criminal cases depending upon whether the most serious charge is a petty offense or municipal violation, misdemeanor, or felony.

The bill permits the court to authorize more time for each party to conduct voir dire than is required, subject to certain requirements.

The bill creates a jury selection working group (working group) in the judicial department.

The bill details the working group's membership and duties and requires the working group to submit to the judiciary committees of the house of representatives and the senate, and to each supreme court justice, the following:

A progress report by December 1, 2026; and
A final report, by a date determined by the working group's chairs, concerning best practices related to jury selection and to considering recommendations for statutory or rule changes to improve jury selection
.
(Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.)
(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Second Regular Session
Seventy-fifth General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
REENGROSSED
This Version Includes All Amendments
Adopted in the House of Introduction
LLS NO. 26-0809.01 Jacob Baus x2173 HOUSE BILL 26-1288
House Committees Senate Committees
Judiciary
A BILL FOR AN ACT
CONCERNING MEASURES RELATED TO JURY SELECTION.101
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does
not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill
passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that
applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at
http://leg.colorado.gov.)
The bill establishes certain requirements for jury questionnaires
that are completed prior to conducting voir dire.
The bill requires a minimum amount of time for each party to
conduct voir dire. The bill establishes the lengths of required time for
civil cases and criminal cases, with the lengths of required time for
criminal cases depending upon whether the most serious charge is a petty
offense or municipal violation, misdemeanor, or felony.
The bill permits the court to authorize more time for each party to
HOUSE
3rd Reading Unamended
April 16, 2026
HOUSE
Amended 2nd Reading
April 14, 2026
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Joseph and Carter, Bacon, Clifford
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Roberts and Wallace,
Shading denotes HOUSE amendment. Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment.
Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material to be added to existing law.
Dashes through the words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law.
conduct voir dire than is required, subject to certain requirements.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 13-3-121 as2
follows:3
13-3-121. Jury selection working group - creation - members4
- duties - report - definition - repeal.5
(1) AS USED IN THIS SECTION, UNLESS THE CONTEXT OTHERWISE6
REQUIRES, "WORKING GROUP" MEANS THE JURY SELECTION WORKING7
GROUP CREATED IN SUBSECTION (2) OF THIS SECTION.8
(2) T HERE IS CREATED IN THE JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT THE JURY9
SELECTION WORKING GROUP TO MAKE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS10
CONCERNING JURY SELECTION.11
(3) (a) THE WORKING GROUP CONSISTS OF:12
(I) THE STATE PUBLIC DEFENDER, OR THEIR DESIGNEE;13
(II) THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, OR THEIR DESIGNEE;14
(III) T HE FOLLOWING MEMBERS, WHO ARE APPOINTED BY THE15
ASSOCIATION THAT THEY REPRESENT, WHICH ASSOCIATION IS CHOSEN BY16
THE CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE COLORADO SUPREME COURT:17
(A) ONE MEMBER WHO REPRESENTS A STATEWIDE ASSOCIATION OF18
DISTRICT ATTORNEYS;19
(B) ONE MEMBER WHO REPRESENTS A STATEWIDE ASSOCIATION OF20
MUNICIPAL JUDGES;21
(C) ONE MEMBER WHO REPRESENTS A STATEWIDE ASSOCIATION OF22
CIVIL TRIAL LAWYERS;23
(D) ONE MEMBER WHO REPRESENTS A STATEWIDE ASSOCIATION OF24
CIVIL DEFENSE LAWYERS;25
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(E) ONE MEMBER WHO REPRESENTS A STATEWIDE ASSOCIATION OF1
CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYERS;2
(F) ONE MEMBER WHO IS A MEMBER OF A STATEWIDE ASSOCIATION3
OF LAWYERS AND WHO HAS EXPERIENCE WITH REPRESENTING CLIENTS IN4
COMPLEX COMMERCIAL LITIGATION INVOLVING PRIVATE PARTIES; AND5
(G) ONE MEMBER WHO IS AN INSTRUCTOR AT AN INSTITUTION OF6
HIGHER EDUCATION AND HAS EXPERT KNOWLEDGE OF , AND RESEARCH7
EXPERIENCE WITH, JURY SELECTION; AND8
(IV) THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS, APPOINTED BY THE CHIEF JUSTICE9
OF THE COLORADO SUPREME COURT:10
(A) A JUSTICE OR JUDGE;11
(B) T HE CHAIR OF THE RULES OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE12
COMMITTEE;13
(C) THE CHAIR OF THE CIVIL RULES COMMITTEE;14
(D) F OUR JUDGES, WHO IN FULL REPRESENT DISTRICT COURT ,15
COUNTY COURT, RURAL JURISDICTION, AND URBAN JURISDICTION; 16
(E) O NE JURY COMMISSIONER WHO REPRESENTS AN URBAN17
JUDICIAL DISTRICT; AND18
(F) ONE JURY COMMISSIONER WHO REPRESENTS A RURAL JUDICIAL19
DISTRICT.20
(b) TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE, THE APPOINTING AUTHORITIES21
SHALL ATTEMPT TO APPOINT WORKING GROUP MEMBERS WHO REFLECT22
THE DIVERSITY OF THE STATE WITH REGARD TO GEOGRAPHY , RACE,23
ETHNICITY, GENDER, AND AREAS OF PRACTICE.24
(c) THE APPOINTING AUTHORITIES SHALL MAKE APPOINTMENTS TO25
THE WORKING GROUP NO LATER THAN JUNE 15, 2026.26
(d) (I) T HE JUSTICE OR JUDGE APPOINTED PURSUANT TO27
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SUBSECTION (3)(a)(IV)(A) OF THIS SECTION SERVES AS A CO-CHAIR OF THE1
WORKING GROUP.2
(II) THE WORKING GROUP SHALL SELECT A MEMBER DESCRIBED IN3
SUBSECTION (3)(a)(I), (3)(a)(II), OR (3)(a)(III) OF THIS SECTION TO SERVE4
AS A CO-CHAIR OF THE WORKING GROUP.5
(e) M EMBERS SERVE WITHOUT COMPENSATION BUT MAY BE6
REIMBURSED FOR EXPENSES DIRECTLY RELATING TO THEIR SERVICE TO THE7
WORKING GROUP.8
(4) THE WORKING GROUP SHALL:9
(a) S OLICIT INPUT FROM RELEVANT COMMUNITIES AND10
STAKEHOLDERS TO ASSIST THE WORKING GROUP WITH THE PERFORMANCE11
OF ITS DUTIES PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (4)(b) OF THIS SECTION;12
(b) IDENTIFY BEST PRACTICES CONCERNING:13
(I) THE AMOUNT OF TIME PROVIDED TO ATTORNEYS TO PERFORM14
VOIR DIRE;15
(II) THE USE OF CASE-SPECIFIC OR MODEL QUESTIONNAIRES FOR16
POTENTIAL JURORS;17
(III) THE USE OF RULES FOR THE PROCESS AND EFFECTIVENESS OF18
REHABILITATING JURORS;19
(IV) T HE USE OF MODEL BENCH BOOK SCRIPTS FOR JURY20
SELECTION;21
(V) T RAINING FOR JUDGES AND LAWYERS REGARDING JURY22
SELECTION; AND23
(VI) ANY OTHER MATTER RELATED TO JURY SELECTION DEEMED24
APPROPRIATE BY THE WORKING GROUP; AND25
(c) CONSIDER MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR STATUTORY OR26
RULE CHANGES TO IMPROVE JURY SELECTION.27
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(5) (a) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1, 2026, THE WORKING GROUP1
SHALL SUBMIT A PROGRESS REPORT OF ITS IDENTIFIED BEST PRACTICES2
PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (4)(b) OF THIS SECTION , AND3
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR STATUTORY OR RULE CHANGES PURSUANT TO4
SUBSECTION (4)(c) OF THIS SECTION, IF ANY, TO THE JUDICIARY5
COMMITTEES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE SENATE , OR6
ANY SUCCESSOR COMMITTEES, AND EACH COLORADO SUPREME COURT7
JUSTICE.8
(b) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1, 2026, THE JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT9
SHALL POST THE REPORT DESCRIBED IN SUBSECTION (5)(a) OF THIS10
SECTION ON ITS WEBSITE FOR PUBLIC ACCESS.11
(6) (a) O N OR BEFORE A DATE DETERMINED BY THE WORKING12
GROUP'S CO-CHAIRS THAT IS SUFFICIENT TO ALLOW THE COLORADO13
SUPREME COURT TO RESPOND PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (7) OF THIS14
SECTION, THE WORKING GROUP SHALL SUBMIT A FINAL REPORT OF ITS15
IDENTIFIED BEST PRACTICES PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (4)(b) OF THIS16
SECTION, AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR STATUTORY OR RULE CHANGES17
PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (4)(c) OF THIS SECTION, IF ANY, TO THE18
JUDICIARY COMMITTEES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE19
SENATE, OR ANY SUCCESSOR COMMITTEES , AND EACH COLORADO20
SUPREME COURT JUSTICE.21
(b) W ITHIN ONE WEEK OF RECEIVING THE FINAL REPORT22
DESCRIBED IN SUBSECTION (6)(a) OF THIS SECTION, THE JUDICIAL23
DEPARTMENT SHALL POST THE REPORT DESCRIBED IN SUBSECTION (6)(a)24
OF THIS SECTION ON ITS WEBSITE FOR PUBLIC ACCESS.25
(7) (a) IF ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RULE CHANGES ARE MADE,26
THEN ON OR BEFORE JUNE 15, 2027, THE COLORADO SUPREME COURT27
1288-5-
SHALL RESPOND TO THE WORKING GROUP'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RULE1
CHANGES TO IMPROVE JURY SELECTION.2
(b) O N OR BEFORE JUNE 15, 2027, THE JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT3
SHALL POST THE RESPONSE DESCRIBED IN SUBSECTION (7)(a) OF THIS4
SECTION ON ITS WEBSITE FOR PUBLIC ACCESS.5
(8) THIS SECTION IS REPEALED, EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2027.6
SECTION 2. Safety clause. The general assembly finds,7
determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate8
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for9
the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state10
institutions.11
1288-6-