Lawyers e-Journal
Thursday, Sep. 10, 2009
Photograph by
Jeff Thiebauth
Richard P. Campbell, chair of the MBA Task Force on Peremptory Challenges and an MBA vice president
MBA task force of prominent judges and attorneys to tackle jury selection issues
The Massachusetts Bar Association announces the formation of the
Task Force on Peremptory Challenges to study the history of such
challenges in selecting juries and the implications of their use in
the state courts. Peremptory challenges can be made by either
side in a criminal or civil case to help choose a jury
without stating a reason, except where an impermissible bias (such
as racial or gender bias) may be inferred. The task force will
issue a report of its findings next spring.
The MBA consulted key groups in the formation of the task force,
including the American Board of Trial Advocates, the Massachusetts
State Committee of the American College of Trial Lawyers, the
Boston Bar Association, the Committee for Public Counsel Services,
the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys, the Massachusetts
Defense Lawyers Association and the Worcester County Bar
Association.
Task force members include:
- Richard P. Campbell, task force chair, MBA
vice president and Co-founder and Chairman, Campbell, Campbell,
Edwards & Conroy PC, Boston;
- The Hon. Peter W. Agnes Jr., Superior
Court;
- Philip J. Callan Jr., Doherty, Wallace,
Pillsbury & Murphy, Springfield;
- Beverly J. Cannone, Committee for Public
Counsel Services, Dedham;
- Edward V. Colbert III, partner, Looney &
Grossman LLP, Boston;
- Frank Corso, principal, Sarrouf Corso LLP,
Boston;
- Emily G. Coughlin, president of the
Massachusetts Defense Lawyers Association, member, Coughlin Betke
LLP, Boston;
- Robert A. Curley Jr., president, Curley &
Curley PC, Boston;
- Michael S. Hussey, Committee for Public
Counsel Services, Worcester;
- Marianne C. LeBlanc, principal, Sugarman &
Sugarman, Boston;
- Eric Neyman, partner, McCarter & English,
Boston; and
- The Hon. David Ricciardone, Worcester District
Court.
Click here for more information on the Task
Force on Peremptory Challenges and its members.