N.Y. Criminal Procedure Law § 270.25: Trial jury; peremptory challenge of an individual juror

§ 270.25 Trial jury; peremptory challenge of an individual juror.

1. A peremptory challenge is an objection to a prospective juror for

which no reason need be assigned. Upon any peremptory challenge, the

court must exclude the person challenged from service.

2. Each party must be allowed the following number of peremptory

challenges:

(a) Twenty for the regular jurors if the highest crime charged is a

class A felony, and two for each alternate juror to be selected.

(b) Fifteen for the regular jurors if the highest crime charged is a

class B or class C felony, and two for each alternate juror to be

selected.

(c) Ten for the regular jurors in all other cases, and two for each

alternate juror to be selected.

3. When two or more defendants are tried jointly, the number of

peremptory challenges prescribed in subdivision two of this section is

not multiplied by the number of defendants, but such defendants are to

be treated as a single party. In any such case, a peremptory challenge

by one or more defendants must be allowed if a majority of the

defendants join in such challenge, or if there is a tie when there is an

even number of defendants. Otherwise, it must be disallowed.