Judicial oaths reworded.
Section
1.
That
§
15-14-11
be amended to read as follows:
15-14-11.
As soon as the jury is completed
,
the following oath
must
shall
be administered to
the jurors.
Section
2.
That
§
23A-20-7
be amended to read as follows:
23A-20-7.
All members of the panel shall swear or affirm that they will answer truthfully all
questions concerning their qualifications
.
by taking the following oath.
Section
3.
That
§
23A-5-7
be amended to read as follows:
23A-5-7.
The following oath
must
shall
be administered to the
foreman
foreperson
of the grand
jury:
You, as foreman of this grand jury, shall diligently inquire into, and true indictment make,
of all public offenses against this state, committed or triable within this county, of which you shall
have or can obtain evidence. You will keep your own counsel and that of your fellows, and of the
state, and will not, except when required in the due course of judicial proceedings, disclose the
testimony of any witness examined before you, nor anything which you or any other grand juror
may have said, nor the manner in which you or any other grand juror may have voted on any matter
before you. You shall present no person through malice, hatred, or ill will, nor leave any
unpresented through fear, favor, or affection, or for any reward or the promise or hope thereof; but
in all your indictments you shall present the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth,
according to the best of your skill and understanding; so help you God.
Do you, as foreperson of
the grand jury, swear or affirm that you will diligently inquire into and make indictments of all
public offenses against the state about which you have or can obtain evidence and which were
committed or are triable in this county; that you will keep confidential the deliberations, remarks
and actions of the jury, the testimony of the witnesses, and the manner in which any member of
the jury voted on any matter; that you will not act against any person because of malice, hatred or
ill-will or fail to act on a charge because of fear, favor, affection, or anticipation of reward; and that
in all of your indictments you will present only the truth to the best of your skill, knowledge and
understanding, so help you God?
The following oath
must
shall
be immediately administered to
the other grand jurors:
The same oath which your foreman has now taken before you on his own
part, you and each of you shall well and truly observe on your part; so help you God.
Having heard
the oath taken by the foreperson, do you, and each of you, swear or affirm that you will act in
accordance with the obligations of that oath in your role as a member of the grand jury, so help you
God?
Section
4.
That chapter
23A-25
be amended by adding thereto a NEW SECTION to read as
follows:
Section
5.
Any person required to take an oath pursuant to sections 1 to 4, inclusive, of this
Act, who, having conscientious scruples against oath-taking, shall be allowed to make affirmation.
Such person may also substitute the words, "under pains and penalties of perjury," for the words
"so help you God."