BOULDER, Colo. — A new committee created under state law is examining Colorado's jury selection process and wants to hear from the public about potential changes.
The group is not focused on one specific issue but is instead facilitating broader conversations about how to ensure fair and unbiased juries are selected, co-chair of the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association Kevin Cheney said.
One area the committee is already exploring is how much time lawyers are given to question potential jurors. Lawyers are sometimes given only up to 20 minutes to question 16 people, Cheney said.
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The committee is workshopping whether that time can be increased — or whether time can be freed up through other means, such as written questionnaires completed by potential jurors ahead of their court appearance. Some judicial districts already have that process, but it's not standard practice across the state.
That approach allows potential jurors to answer personal questions without having to do so in front of everyone in the courtroom, according to Cheney.
Amy Parulis, a Boulder County resident who finished her time as a juror last week, said much of the selection process centered on identifying potential bias.
"I had to be asked if I would be biased about ... one of my friends being a first responder and how first responders were involved in this," Parulis said. "I said I wasn't going to have bias."
The court took her word for it, and she was selected to serve.
The committee will continue meeting through the end of the year before submitting its recommendations to the state legislature.
Members of the public can share feedback on the jury selection process here.
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