Section 12-16-74

Hearing of excuses, claims of exemptions, etc.; drawing, swearingand empaneling of grand and petit jurors for session of court.

The court shall require the names to be called from the venirelist of all persons who have been served with a summons to appear in courtthat day for service as jurors and whose service has not been previously excusedor postponed. The court may hear any excuses not previously heard and shallpass upon the qualifications of those in attendance. The court may in anycase, including capital cases, excuse or postpone the service of any prospectivejuror outside the presence of the parties and their counsel in accordancewith the provisions for excusal contained in Section 12-16-63.

If a grand jury is to be empaneled, the court shall draw from thevenire list on a random basis the names of 18 persons qualified and in attendance who shall be sworn and empaneled asthe grand jury. If a petit jury is also to be empaneled, all qualified personsremaining whose service is not excused or postponed shall be sworn as petitjurors. If no grand jury is to be empaneled, all persons appearing who arequalified and not excused or whose service is not postponed shall be swornas petit jurors. The court shall then cause to be randomly compiled a masterstrike list containing the names of all petit jurors so sworn as jurors forthe week.

(Acts 1919, No. 715, p. 1039; Code 1923, §§8622, 8623;Code 1940, T. 30, §§38, 39; Acts 1981, No. 81-788, p. 1381, §3.)