The Jury Selection and Service Act of 1968

The passage of the jury selection act leads federal courts to seek uniform criteria for determining what groups of people are to be excused from jury service. Although an 1880 Supreme Court case had ruled that jury selection could not discriminate on the basis of race, most jurors are still white men. Now broader racial representation begins to be seen, at least by some, as vital to the jury system. The new law requires that voter registration lists be the "primary source" for jury pool selection. But, of course, these are not necessarily representative lists. The act does not require states to use other sources, although many states will begin to include names from driveršs license lists, unemployment lists, and lists of those receiving public assistance in the jury pool. Even so, underrepresentation will remain a hotly contested issue.