Legislation

§ 270.25 Trial jury; peremptory challenge of an individual juror.

1. A peremptory challenge is an objection to a prospective juror for
which no reason need be assigned. Upon any peremptory challenge, the
court must exclude the person challenged from service.

2. Each party must be allowed the following number of peremptory
challenges:

(a) Twenty for the regular jurors if the highest crime charged is a
class A felony, and two for each alternate juror to be selected.

(b) Fifteen for the regular jurors if the highest crime charged is a
class B or class C felony, and two for each alternate juror to be
selected.

(c) Ten for the regular jurors in all other cases, and two for each
alternate juror to be selected.

3. When two or more defendants are tried jointly, the number of
peremptory challenges prescribed in subdivision two of this section is
not multiplied by the number of defendants, but such defendants are to
be treated as a single party. In any such case, a peremptory challenge
by one or more defendants must be allowed if a majority of the
defendants join in such challenge, or if there is a tie when there is an
even number of defendants. Otherwise, it must be disallowed.