Us Code § 1870 - Challenges
Full text of Us Code United States Code § 1870 — Challenges, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 1870. Challenges
In civil cases, each party shall be entitled to three peremptory challenges. Several defendants or several plaintiffs may be considered as a single party for the purposes of making challenges, or the court may allow additional peremptory challenges and permit them to be exercised separately or jointly.
All challenges for cause or favor, whether to the array or panel or to individual jurors, shall be determined by the court.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 953; Pub. L. 86–282, Sept. 16, 1959, 73 Stat. 565.)
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §424 (Mar. 3, 1911, ch. 231, §287, 36 Stat. 1166).
Provisions of section 424 of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., relating to the number of peremptory challenges in criminal cases were deleted as superseded by Rule 24 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure.
The last sentence of the first paragraph was added to permit the same flexibility in the matter of challenges in civil cases as is permitted in criminal cases by said Rule 24.
Words "without aid of triers" at end of section 424 of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., were omitted as surplusage.
Changes were made in phraseology.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1959—Pub. L. 86–282 substituted "may" for "shall" after "several plaintiffs", and ", or the court may allow" for ". If there is more than one defendant the court may allow the defendants".
About This Section
28 U.S.C. § 1870 is part of Title 28 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.
This section may be cited in legal writing as 28 U.S.C. § 1870. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.
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