HB0414 • 2026

Courts - Jury Service - Disqualification

Crime

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Delegates Roberson , Davis , J. Long , Pasteur , Phillips , Ross , Taylor , Wilkins , Williams , Woods , and Young
Last action: 2026-01-29
Official status: In the House - Hearing 2/11 at 2:00 p.m.
Effective date: 2026-10-01

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Courts - Jury Service - Disqualification

Providing that a person who has been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding 1 year and is currently serving the sentence imposed for the conviction, including a term of parole or probation, or has been convicted of a crime involving or relating to perjury, witness intimidation, jury intimidation, or fraud or a related crime is not qualified for jury service.

What This Bill Does

Providing that a person who has been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding 1 year and is currently serving the sentence imposed for the conviction, including a term of parole or probation, or has been convicted of a crime involving or relating to perjury, witness intimidation, jury intimidation, or fraud or a related crime is not qualified for jury service.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-01-29 House
Hearing 2/11 at 2:00 p.m.
2026-01-22 House
First Reading Judiciary
Maryland General Assembly
Text - First - Courts - Jury Service - Disqualification

Official Summary Text

Providing that a person who has been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding 1 year and is currently serving the sentence imposed for the conviction, including a term of parole or probation, or has been convicted of a crime involving or relating to perjury, witness intimidation, jury intimidation, or fraud or a related crime is not qualified for jury service.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0414*

HOUSE BILL 414
D1 6lr1830
HB 435/25 – JUD CF SB 322
By: Delegates Roberson, Davis, J. Long, Pasteur, Phillips, Ross, Taylor, Wilkins,
Williams, Woods, and Young
Introduced and read first time: January 22, 2026
Assigned to: Judiciary

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Courts – Jury Service – Disqualification 2

FOR the purpose of altering the circumstances under which an individual who has been 3
convicted of a crime is not qualified for jury service; and generally relating to jury 4
service. 5

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 6
Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 7
Section 8–103 8
Annotated Code of Maryland 9
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 10

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 11
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 12

Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 13

8–103. 14

(a) Notwithstanding § 8 –102 of this subtitle, an individual qualifies for jury 15
service for a county only if the individual: 16

(1) Is an adult as of the day selected as a prospective juror; 17

(2) Is a citizen of the United States; and 18

(3) Resides in the county as of the day sworn as a juror. 19

2 HOUSE BILL 414

(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section and subject to the federal 1
Americans with Disabilities Act, an individual is not qualified for jury service if the 2
individual: 3

(1) Cannot comprehend spoken English or speak English; 4

(2) Cannot comprehend written English, read Engl ish, or write English 5
proficiently enough to complete a juror qualification form satisfactorily; 6

(3) Has a disability that, as documented by a health care provider’s 7
certification, prevents the individual from providing satisfactory jury service; 8

(4) Has been convicted, in a federal or State court of record, of [a]: 9

(I) A crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding 1 year and 10
[received a sentence of imprisonment for more than 1 year] IS CURRENTLY SERVING THE 11
SENTENCE IMPOSED FOR THE CONVICTION , INCLUDING A TERM OF PAROLE OR 12
PROBATION; or 13

(II) A CRIME INVOLVING OR RELATING TO: 14

1. PERJURY; 15

2. WITNESS INTIMIDATION; 16

3. JURY INTIMIDATION; OR 17

4. A CRIME UNDER TITLE 8 OF THE CRIMINAL LAW 18
ARTICLE; OR 19

(5) Has a charge pending, in a federal or State court of record, for a crime 20
punishable by imprisonment exceeding 1 year. 21

[(c) An individual qualifies for jury service notwithstanding a disqualifying 22
conviction under subsection (b)(4) of this section if the individual is pardoned.] 23

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 24
October 1, 2026. 25