Blue Ribbon Jury

• Author: Dennis J. Mahoney
• Pages: 199-200

Page 199

Under the laws of some states, cases of unusual importance or complexity may be tried to special juries chosen from a venire with qualifications higher than those for the ordinary jury panel. Such juries are commonly called "blue ribbon juries." In Fay v. New York (1947) the Supreme Court affirmed (5?4) the constitutionality of using a blue ribbon jury in a criminal prosecution. Whether such juries would meet the contemporary standard of being

Page 200

drawn from a source fairly representative of the community is uncertain. (See JURY DISCRIMINATION; TAYLOR V. LOUISIANA.) In any event, blue ribbon juries have fallen into disuse.

DENNIS J. MAHONEY

(198...