Jury Non-Discrimination Act / Jury ACCESS Act

The Jury ACCESS Act, short for Jury Access for Capable Citizens and Equality in Service Selection Act, is a proposed federal bill introduced in several sessions of Congress. It would amend Section 1862 of Title 28 of the U.S. Code to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of characteristics that cannot be used to disqualify someone from serving on a federal jury. Supporters point to documented cases of lawyers using peremptory strikes to remove LGBTQ+ people from juries, arguing there is no rational link between a person's identity and their ability to weigh evidence fairly. The bill has been reintroduced across multiple Congresses but has not become law.