If adopted, a proposal to keep the names of jurors confidential, at least from the public, in all criminal trials apparently would make Virginia unique in the country. It is not clear if a defendant in Virginia ever has harmed a juror. That possibility is one of the concerns behind a law the General Assembly passed last year. That law permits judges to keep jurors’ identifying information secret from all but the lawyers in a case—even from the defendant—when a judge finds good cause there is a “likelihood” of bribery, tampering, or physical injury or harassment to jurors.

A proposal to keep jurors anonymous in all criminal trials is under consideration by the Virginia Supreme Court. The Advisory Committee on Rules of the Court is proposing to keep confidential jurors’ names, ages, occupations, telephone numbers, addresses and other identifying information. Jurors would be assigned numbers by the clerk of the court for use in open court during jury selection and the trial.