2011 US Code
Title 28 - Judiciary and Judicial Procedure
Part V - PROCEDURE (§§ 1651 - 2113)
Chapter 121 - JURIES; TRIAL BY JURY (§§ 1861 - 1878)
Section 1862 - Discrimination prohibited

No citizen shall be excluded from service as a grand or petit juror in the district courts of the United States or in the Court of International Trade on account of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or economic status.

(June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 952; Pub. L. 90–274, §101, Mar. 27, 1968, 82 Stat. 54; Pub. L. 96–417, title III, §302(c), Oct. 10, 1980, 94 Stat. 1739.)

This section makes provision for specific exemption of classes of citizens usually excused from jury service in the interest of the public health, safety, or welfare. The inclusion in the jury list of persons so exempted usually serves only to waste the time of the court.

1980—Pub. L. 96–417 prohibited discrimination against service as juror in the Court of International Trade.

1968—Pub. L. 90–274 substituted provisions prohibiting discrimination against citizens in their service as jurors because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or economic status for provisions identifying three groups as exempt from jury service, including members of the armed forces on active duty, members of fire or police departments, and public officers actively engaged in the performance of official duties.

Amendment by Pub. L. 96–417 effective Nov. 1, 1980, and applicable with respect to civil actions pending on or commenced on or after such date, see section 701(a) of Pub. L. 96–417, set out as a note under section 251 of this title.

Amendment by Pub. L. 90–274 effective 270 days after Mar. 27, 1968, except as to cases in which an indictment has been returned or a petit jury empaneled prior to such effective date, see section 104 of Pub. L. 90–274, set out as a note under section 1861 of this title.