Colorado § 13-71-119.5 Persons entitled to be excused from jury service

Colorado Statutes

§ 13-71-119.5 — Persons entitled to be excused from jury service

Colorado § 13-71-119.5

Title 13Courts

Art.Colorado Uniform Jury Selection

This text of Colorado § 13-71-119.5 (Persons entitled to be excused from jury service) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Colorado primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-71-119.5 (2026).

Text

(1)The general assembly finds and declares that it is the policy of this state that all qualified citizens have an obligation to serve on juries when summoned by the courts of this state unless excused in accordance with the provisions of this article.

(2)(a) (I) A person shall be excused temporarily from service as a juror if his or her jury service would cause undue or extreme physical hardship to him or her or to another person under his or her direct care or supervision.

(II)The provisions of this subsection (2) shall apply notwithstanding the fact that the person does not have sole responsibility for the care of another person as described in section 13-71-105 (2)(d).

(b)A judge or jury commissioner of the court for which a person was summoned for jury service shall det

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

(1) The
general assembly finds and declares that it is the policy of this state that all
qualified citizens have an obligation to serve on juries when summoned by the
courts of this state unless excused in accordance with the provisions of this article.

(2) (a) (I) A person shall be excused temporarily from service as a juror if his
or her jury service would cause undue or extreme physical hardship to him or her or
to another person under his or her direct care or supervision.

(II) The provisions of this subsection (2) shall apply notwithstanding the fact
that the person does not have sole responsibility for the care of another person as
described in section 13-71-105 (2)(d).

(b) A judge or jury commissioner of the court for which a person was
summoned for jury service shall determine whether jury service would cause the
prospective juror or another person under his or her direct care undue or extreme
physical hardship.

(c) A person who requests to be excused under this subsection (2) shall take
all actions necessary to obtain a determination on the request before the date on
which the person is scheduled to appear for jury duty.

(d) For purposes of this subsection (2), undue or extreme physical hardship
shall be limited to circumstances in which a person:

(I) Would be required to abandon a person under his or her direct care or
supervision because of the inability to obtain an appropriate substitute care
provider during the period of jury service; or

(II) Would suffer physical hardship possibly resulting in illness or disease.

(e) A person who requests to be excused under the provisions of this
subsection (2) may provide the judge or jury commissioner documentation that
supports the request to be excused, including but not limited to medical
statements, proof of dependency or guardianship, or other similar documents. The
judge or jury commissioner may excuse a person if the documentation clearly
supports the request to be excused. The documents comprising the documentation
described in this subsection (2) shall not be deemed public records and shall not be
disclosed to the public.

(2.5) A person who is breast-feeding a child and is temporarily unable to or
chooses not to leave the child in order to serve on a jury must be excused
temporarily from service as a juror for up to two consecutive twelve-month
postponements. The judge or jury commissioner may request a medical statement
in support of the postponement. A medical statement provided pursuant to this
subsection (2.5) is not a public record and must not be disclosed to the public.

(3) A person who is temporarily excused pursuant to this section shall
become eligible for qualification as a juror when the temporary excuse expires, as
determined by the court. A person may be permanently excused only if the judge or
jury commissioner determines that the grounds for being excused from jury service
are permanent in nature.

(4) The provisions of this section shall not apply to impaneled jurors or to
deliberating jurors described in section 13-71-119.

Legislative History

Source: L. 2004: Entire section added, p. 277, � 4, effective August 4. L. 2008: (2)(e) amended, p. 1883, � 19, effective August 5. L. 2015: (2)(e) amended and (2.5) added, (HB 15-1164), ch. 86, p. 248, � 1, effective April 8.