In New Mexico, a jury of your peers may include someone who doesn't understand English.

The New Mexico Supreme Court this week found that a trial court erred in dismissing a juror from a murder trial because he understood little English.

In doing so, the state's highest court issued a stark reminder to judges and lawyers that non-English speakers have the right to serve on juries there—a right enshrined in the state Constitution.

The ability to comprehend English is often raised in jury selection in federal and state courts across the country and is a requirement in many jurisdictions. For example, state courts in Missouri and Iowa, as well as federal courts in New York, require jurors to be able to read, write and understand English to serve.

However, New Mexico, dating back to its days as a U.S. territory, has allowed non-English speakers to serve as jurors, the state's Supreme Court said in an opinion issued Monday.