SF0146 • 2021

Six person juries in civil cases.

AN ACT relating to civil procedure; specifying that juries for civil trials shall have six jurors; specifying applicability; and providing for an effective date.

Inactive

Wyoming marks this bill as inactive, which usually means it is no longer moving in the current session.

Sponsor: Senator Nethercott
Last action: 2021-04-01
Official status: inactive
Effective date: 3/1/2021

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and official text do not provide specific details on how court procedures or outcomes will be affected by this change.

Six Person Juries in Civil Cases

The bill changes the number of jurors for civil trials to six unless a party requests twelve jurors.

What This Bill Does

Changes Wyoming law so that juries in civil cases will have six members instead of twelve, unless one side asks for twelve jurors.

Who It Names or Affects

People involved in civil trials in Wyoming
Courts and judges handling civil cases

Terms To Know

Civil case: A legal dispute between individuals or organizations that is not a criminal matter.
Juror: A person who serves on a jury and helps decide the outcome of a trial.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if both sides want twelve jurors.
It is unclear how this change will affect court procedures or outcomes in civil cases.
This bill was marked as inactive, meaning it did not pass during the current session.

Bill History

2021-04-01 House
H:Died in Committee Returned Bill Pursuant to HR 5-4
2021-04-01 House
H No report prior to CoW Cutoff
2021-03-19 House
H Introduced and Referred to H01 - Judiciary
2021-03-18 House
H Received for Introduction
2021-03-18 Senate
S 3rd Reading:Passed 29-1-0-0-0
2021-03-17 Senate
S 2nd Reading:Passed
2021-03-12 Senate
S COW:Passed
2021-03-10 Senate
S Placed on General File
2021-03-10 Senate
S01 - Judiciary:Recommend Do Pass 4-1-0-0-0
2021-03-02 Senate
S Introduced and Referred to S01 - Judiciary
2021-03-01 Senate
S Received for Introduction
2021-03-01 LSO
Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

21LSO-0436
2021
STATE OF WYOMING
21LSO-0436
Numbered
2.0

SENATE FILE NO. SF0146

Six person juries in civil cases.

Sponsored by: Senator(s) Nethercott, Kolb and Kost and Representative(s) MacGuire, Stith and Washut

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to civil procedure; specifying that juries for civil trials shall have six jurors; specifying applicability; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1
.

W.S. 1
‑
11
‑
119 and 1
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11
‑
120 are amended to read:

1
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11
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119.

Number of jurors; fees and mileage.

Trial juries in circuit courts shall be composed of six (6) persons. Trial juries in civil cases and all other proceedings in the district courts except criminal cases shall be composed of six (6) jurors
.

unless one (1) of the
parties to the action files a written demand for twelve (12) jurors within the time a demand for jury may be filed, in which event
T
he number of jurors
in criminal cases in district courts
shall be twelve (12). Jurors in all courts shall be allowed the same fees and mileage as jurors in district court.

1
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11
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120.

Persons sworn to constitute jury; generally.

The first six (6) persons, or
other number of persons designated for a jury under
the first twelve (12) persons for criminal cases in district courts under
W.S. 1
‑
11
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119, who appear as their names are randomly selected and are approved as indifferent between the parties and not discharged or excused shall be sworn and constitute the jury to try the issue.

Section 2
.

The provisions of this act shall apply to all civil actions commenced on or after the effective date of this act.

Section 3
.

This act is effective July 1, 2021
.

(END)

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SF0146