Free therapy for jurors after traumatic cases proposed by North Dakota Supreme Court

The North Dakota Supreme Court has proposed legislation to provide up to 10 hours of free therapy to jurors following traumatic trials. Introduced during a House Judiciary Committee hearing Wednesday, House Bill 1047 would offer counseling within 180 days of trials involving graphic evidence or testimony related to cases like murder, manslaughter, felony assault, domestic violence, and child abuse. State Court Administrator Sally Holewa stated that 33 of the 224 trials in 2024 met the criteria for juror eligibility. The proposed service, modeled after a similar program in Alaska, is estimated to cost the state $10,000 during the 2025-27 biennium and $12,000 thereafter.