HOUSE BILL No. 5905

Introduced by Rep. Cushingberry and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

     A bill to amend 1927 PA 175, entitled

 

"The code of criminal procedure,"

 

by amending section 3 of chapter III (MCL 763.3), as amended by

 

1988 PA 89.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

CHAPTER III

 

     Sec. 3. (1) In all criminal cases arising in the courts of

 

this state the defendant may, with the consent of the prosecutor

 

and approval by the court, waive a determination of the facts by a

 

jury and elect to be tried before the court without a jury. Except

 

in cases of minor offenses, the waiver and election by a defendant

 

shall be in writing signed by the defendant and filed in the case

 

and made a part of the record. The waiver and election shall be

 


entitled in the court and case, and in substance as follows: "I,

 

.............., defendant in the above case, hereby voluntarily

 

waive and relinquish my right to a trial by jury and elect to be

 

tried by a judge of the court in which the case may be pending. I

 

fully understand that under the laws of this state I have a

 

constitutional right to a trial by jury."

 

     ______________________

 

     Signature of defendant.

 

     (2) Except in cases of minor offenses, the waiver of trial by

 

jury shall be made in open court after the defendant has been

 

arraigned and has had opportunity to consult with legal counsel.