Delaware Code
Subchapter III. Medical Negligence Review Panels
§ 6805. Method of selection of panel members.

The members of each medical negligence review panel shall be selected in the following manner:

(1) The Commissioner shall compile, and keep current, 3 separate lists as follows:

a. A list of all physicians engaged for not less than 3 years in the active practice of medicine in the State and who hold a license to practice medicine and surgery;
b. A list of all of the attorneys engaged for not less than 3 years in the active practice of law in this State and who are admitted to the Bar of this State; and
c. A list of 100 objective and judicious persons of appropriate education and experience residing in this State who are neither health-care providers nor licensed to practice law in this State, nor associated with the insurance industry, who in the Commissioner's opinion would be appropriate to serve as lay members of medical negligence review panels.
The Commissioner shall compile such additional lists of other categories of health-care providers as may be appropriate.
(2) The parties may agree upon 1 or more members from each of the lists to constitute the medical negligence review panel.
(3) In the event that the parties shall not agree upon the selection of any 1 or more members, such members shall be selected by the Commissioner by lot from the appropriate list. As to each list from which selection is made by lot, each party shall have 3 peremptory challenges to such selections.
(4) Members selected by agreement or by lot shall be designated by the Commissioner to serve unless disqualified by reason of close relationship with or personal bias toward any party to the action.
(5) Any member from any category so selected to serve shall serve upon the panel unless for good cause shown he or she is excused by the Court. The Court shall excuse a member from any category from serving only if it finds, on the basis of facts set forth in an affidavit submitted by such member, that such service would constitute an unreasonable burden, undue hardship or that such service would give rise to a conflict of interest.
(6) A party to the proceeding before the medical negligence review panel may also challenge any member so selected by submitting an affidavit to the Court setting forth the facts that the party believes show cause for striking such member from the panel. The Court may strike such member from the panel if it finds such cause to exist.
(7) After the Court has excused or struck a member, the parties shall select a substitute member from the same list, each party retaining any previously unused peremptory challenge.

Structure Delaware Code