Special jury in civil cases

(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, any court may allow a special jury in any civil case, to be formed in the following manner: The court shall direct a panel of ten jurors to be drawn by the clerk, in the presence of the court, from the box mentioned in section seven, article one, chapter fifty-two of this code, who shall be summoned by the sheriff to attend on the day named in the order, from which number eight shall be chosen by lot; and the parties thereupon, the plaintiff's attorney beginning, shall alternately strike off one until the number be reduced to six, which number shall complete the jury for the trial of the case. The court may also allow a special jury in any civil case when the panel of drawn jurors is exhausted, upon the motion of either of the parties, to be summoned by the sheriff so far as may be required from the body of the county; but no such special jury shall be allowed in any case unless the court certifies of record that the interest of the parties so asking such jury will be promoted by the allowance of such special jury. (b) In any case held pursuant to article two, chapter fifty-four of this code, for the taking of property for a public use, any court may allow a special jury to be formed in the following manner: The court shall direct a panel of twenty jurors, who are qualified freeholders of the county wherein the property to be taken is situate, to be drawn by the clerk, in the presence of the court, from the box mentioned in section seven, article one, chapter fifty-two of this code, who shall be summoned by the sheriff to attend on the day named in the order, from which number sixteen shall be chosen by lot; and the parties thereupon, the plaintiff's attorney beginning, shall alternately strike off one until the number be reduced to twelve, which number shall complete the jury for the trial of the case, but no such special jury shall be allowed in any case unless the court certifies of record that the interest of the parties so asking such jury will be promoted by the allowance of such special jury.