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H. 3396
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Rep. W.D. Smith
Document Path: l:\council\bills\bbm\9400zw03.doc
Companion/Similar bill(s): 68, 3529
Introduced in the House on January 22, 2003
Currently residing in the House Committee on Judiciary
Summary: "Victim Fairness Act"
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
Date Body Action Description with journal page number ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/22/2003 House Introduced and read first time HJ-17 1/22/2003 House Referred to Committee on Judiciary HJ-17
View the latest legislative information at the LPITS web site
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
TO AMEND SECTION 14-7-1110, AS AMENDED, AND SECTION 14-7-1120, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BOTH RELATING TO PEREMPTORY CHALLENGES, SO AS TO ALLOW THE PROSECUTION THE SAME NUMBER OF PEREMPTORY CHALLENGES AS THE DEFENSE IN CRIMINAL CASES.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. This act may be cited as the "Victim Fairness Act".
SECTION 2. Section 14-7-1110 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 10 of 1987, is further amended to read:
"Section 14-7-1110. Any A person who is arraigned indicted for the crime of murder, manslaughter, burglary, arson, criminal sexual conduct, armed robbery, grand larceny, or breach of trust when it is punishable as for grand larceny, perjury, or forgery is entitled to peremptory challenges not exceeding ten, and the State in these cases is entitled to peremptory challenges not exceeding five ten. Any A person who is indicted for any crime or offense other than those enumerated above murder has the right to peremptory challenges not exceeding five, and the State in these cases is entitled to peremptory challenges not exceeding five. No right to stand aside jurors is allowed to the State in any case whatsoever. In no a case where there is more than one defendant jointly is tried, are no more than twenty ten peremptory challenges are allowed in all to the defendants, and in misdemeanors when there is more than one defendant jointly tried no more than ten peremptory challenges are allowed in all to the defendants. In felonies when there is more than one defendant jointly tried to the State has ten challenges."
SECTION 3. Section 14-7-1120 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 14-7-1120. In criminal cases the prosecution is entitled to one two and the defendant to two peremptory challenges for each alternate juror called under the provisions of Section 14-7-320. and In civil cases, each party shall have one strike for each alternate juror."
SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
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