Chap. 146.—An ACT to amend and re-enact section 3158 of the Code of Vir-
ginia in relation to special juries. [H B 73]

Approved March 13, 1918.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That sec-
tion thirty-one hundred and fifty-eight of the Code of Virginia be
amended and re-enacted so as to read as follows:

Section 3158. How Special Juries Are Formed.—Any court, in
a case where a jury is required, may allow a special jury, which
shall be formed in the following manner: The court shall order such
persons to be summoned, as it shall designate for the purpose, and
from those summoned, a panel of twenty qualified jurors, free from
Just cause of exception, shall be made, from which sixteen shall be
chosen by lot. Thereupon, the parties or their counsel, beginning
with the plaintiff, shall alternately strike off one from the sixteen
so chosen, until the number is reduced to twelve, who shall compose
the jury for the trial of the cause. If the parties or their counsel
decline or fail to strike off any from the sixteen, or if, after one or
more has been stricken off, and the number remaining is greater than
twelve, the party or his counsel, entitled next in order to strike off,
decline or fail to do so, then a jury of twelve for the trial of the
cause shall be chosen by lot from the sixteen or the number remain-
ing as aforesaid, as the case may be; provided, however, the court,
when, 1n its discretion, it may be deemed proper and just, may cause
the entire cost of such jury to be taxed as a part of the cost in such
action and to be paid by the plaintiff or defendant as the court
may direct.