EAST ORANGE – Gov. Phil Murphy was in the city on Sunday to sign Executive Order No. 411, making more than 350,000 New Jerseyans eligible for jury service even if they have a criminal conviction that had previously disqualified them.
People in New Jersey have been ineligible for jury service if they have been convicted of an indictable offense under federal law or the law of any state. In Executive Order No. 411, Murphy is invoking his executive clemency powers to restore jury service rights to people who have completed their sentence for a disqualifying conviction under New Jersey state law, as long as they are otherwise eligible to serve.
“Serving on a jury is a defining expression of United States citizenship and, for many, the most significant opportunity—outside of voting—to share in the responsibilities of democratic self-government,” Murphy said…