Juror Confidentiality

I recently was summoned to a jury pool in a murder and child abuse trial in the Pomona Superior Court. I was told that there was a new state law requiring jurors’ names to be confidential in the courtroom for the benefit and protection of the jurors. In the process of jury selection in this trial the defense attorney accidentally addressed prospective jurors by their name rather than number. He did this twice, and apologized to the jurors each time, saying he had been practicing law for so many years and was not used to the new law.

The judge and all of the attorneys were using copies of the same lists. The obvious conclusion that can be drawn here is that jurors’ names are not confidential to the defense, the judge or the assistant district attorney, and probably not to the defendant. What’s the point of a law that does not protect or in any way benefit jurors?

Glen Parker

Glendora