Women in United States juries

The representation of women in United States juries has increased during years, due to legislation and court rulings. At times, women have been completely excluded, or allowed to opt out, from jury service.

As jury trial is guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution by the phrase "a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury" and the Equal Protection Clause in the Fourteenth Amendment, gender representation in American juries have mainly been decided by Supreme court rulings.

In 1879, Strauder v. West Virginia supported state laws that completely excluded women from jury service.Utah became the first state which included women in jury service, from 1898. In 1942, Glasser v. United States struck down legislation that required women to take a jury class to serve as jurors. Hoyt v. Florida in 1961 upheld state laws that did not make women's jury service mandatory, but Taylor v. Louisiana in 1975 struck down such laws. In 1979, Duren v. Missouri ruled that women should not be permitted to opt out from jury service. J.E.B. v. Alabama was a 1994 ruling which held that lawyers could not use peremptory challenges to influence the jury's gender ratio.

With current state legislation, all-female juries are possible. The jury of the State of Florida v. George Zimmerman got attention for its all-woman composition.

Years in Which Women Gained Eligibility to Serve on State Juries

1870: Wyoming (1870, 1890-1892)

1883: Washington (1883-1887)

1898: Utah (no regular service until 1930s)

1911: Washington

1912: Kansas, Oregon

1917: California

1918: Michigan, Nevada

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