Data, Race, and the Courts: Some Lessons on Empiricism from Jury Representation Cases

Abstract

This article reports on the authors' work in analyzing federal jury selection in three federal districts: the Southern District of California; the Middle District of Florida; and the Eastern District of Massachusetts. The authors conclude that outdated source lists, undeliverable mail, and high nonresponse rates combine to make federal juries as empaneled in these districts unrepresentative of the eligible jury population.

Keywords: jury, jury selection, racial discrimination, equal protection