Rob Stanko, a Partner in Kleinbard’s Litigation group, authored an article in The Legal Intelligencer on recent amendments to the rules governing civil jury selection In Pennsylvania. Under the new rule, judges must directly oversee jury selection, which represents a critical shift from the long-standing practice in some counties of delegating much of the process to judicial staff. Rob explains the conditions of the new rule and highlights the importance of the rule’s option for parties to expressly waive the judge’s direct presence during the selection process and the consequences of judicial oversight. Rob further highlights the impact of the wavier using the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s discussion in Trigg v. Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, 229 A.3d 260 (Pa. 2020), where multiple members of the court called upon the Civil Procedure Rules Committee to examine the manner in which civil juries are selected. Rob emphasizes that litigants should take care when in court and weigh this decision carefully, understanding that the consequences of waiver may extend far beyond jury selection.
To read the full article, click here.
