Congress moves to open federal juries to people with disabilities
S. 2476 — Disability and Age in Jury Service Nondiscrimination Act · Filed by Ed Markey (D-MA) · 12 cosponsors · Introduced Jul 28, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill amends federal jury service law to prohibit courts from excluding people based on disability or age. It requires courts to consider reasonable accommodations when evaluating whether someone can serve, rather than automatically disqualifying them for having a disability or being older.
Why we flagged it
The bill's sole function is to amend federal jury qualification law to prohibit disability- and age-based exclusions and require reasonable accommodations. It is a straightforward civil rights measure in the judicial context.
What the text implies
- Courts will need to develop and fund reasonable accommodation procedures for jurors with disabilities, potentially increasing administrative burden and cost.
- The definition of 'disability that cannot be reasonably accommodated' will likely require case-by-case judicial interpretation, creating initial uncertainty about scope.
The full analysis lists 3 implications of this text.
Who it affects
People with disabilities and older citizens gain a statutory right to jury service and courts must consider reasonable accommodations rather than categorically excluding them. This expands civic participation and democratic representation in the judicial system.