Jackson v. Housing Authority of City of High Point

MARTIN, Justice.

A statement of the facts of this case is contained in the opinion on the first appeal, reported in 316 N.C. 259, 341 S.E. 2d 523 (1986). The sole issue before us on this appeal is whether article I, section 26 of the North Carolina Constitution proscribes peremp tory challenges to jurors in civil cases on the basis of race. We hold that it does.

Article I, section 26 provides:

No person shall be excluded from jury service on account of sex, race, color, religion, or national origin.

By its plain terms, this section of our constitution prohibits the exclusion of persons from jury…