North Dakota may offer counseling for jurors exposed to graphic images and testimony

BISMARCK, N.D. (KVRR) — North Dakota jurors who see and hear graphic images and testimony as part of a trial may be offered counseling services.

HB 1047 would offer those services to jurors and alternates.

They would qualify for ten hours of counseling after the trial was over if the case they sat on had to deal with violent crimes like murder, sexual offenses, or child abuse.

Juror in other cases may also be given counseling, if deemed necessary by the court.

The counseling could be given on an individual bases, or done in a group setting.

Both the North Dakota Court System and the North Dakota Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents testified in favor of the bill.

“Jury counseling services for high-stress cases has been available in the federal court since 2005,” said Sally Holewa for the North Dakota System. “Alaska, Florida, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Texas, Washington, and every court in Canada now makes jury counseling available.”

Legislators gave the bill a Do-Pass recommendation at the hearing.

The bill has already passed the house and will now go to the senate for a final vote.