Teaching Them Young — Mom Brings Triplets and 4-Year-Old to Jury Duty
ABC News shares the story of one mother who did not let her four young children, including a set of triplets, deter her from reporting from jury duty. When Torrey Scow received notice of jury duty, she realized that not only would her husband be out of town at the time, but also her mother, who often watched the children, would be away. Fearful of facing a potentially pricey fine and unable to find a babysitter, Ms. Scow brought her children to court in a wagon stocked with snacks. The mom anticipated being dismissed early upon arrival. However, she was surprised when after an hour of waiting in the jury room, the judge called the family in. While she was trying to control her children, Ms. Scow stated that a police officer brought a bin of toys over for the kids, which “helped immensely.” After a total of two hours, they were able to go home. In a post to Instagram later describing the day, Ms. Scow credited the snacks for keeping her children quiet.
His Family Fought for His Life - Now They're Fighting His Jury Summons
Fox2Now describes one family’s battle against a jury summons issued for their son, who they say cannot serve. In Missouri, Rick and Joan Lister were shocked when a local court denied their disqualification request on behalf of their son, Chris, who incurred a traumatic brain injury after being hit by a car. Chris, who now resides in a nursing home, is non-verbal and requires 24/7 care. Despite providing this information to the court, the Listers were told “Your disqualification request from jury service for Mental or Physical Illness or Infirmity has been denied. Please follow the instructions on the summons that was mailed to you.” Joan wanted to take her son down to the courthouse to make obvious his condition but was unable to do so due to the difficulty and discomfort it would cause Chris. After state representative Wendy Hausman made a phone call to the court’s top judge, he recalled Chris’ jury summons. Unfortunately, Chris’ story is not an isolated incident. Beth Meitner, who requires constant care after a car crash, received a summons from the same courthouse. After her mother, Dorothy, filled out Beth’s questionnaire, she was told that Beth would still have to appear. The day before she was scheduled to show up, the court canceled jury duty for everyone.
Radio Host Praises Recent Jury Experience
WGN Radio 720’s John Hansen sits down with WGN Radio station engineer Krista Flores to discuss her recent jury service. Ms. Flores shares that while she was not initially excited about being selected, by the end of the trial, she had gained appreciation for how the jury system works. Ms. Flores’ interview is informative for those who have never served on a jury before and are interested in learning more about jury duty.
Access to Abortion Case Draws Difficulty in Jury Selection
Ellie Silverman, a journalist for The Washington Post, reports that on Monday, a trial taking place in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia entered its fourth day of jury selection as strong opinions on abortion have so far prevented a jury from being empaneled in a case involving a blockade of an abortion clinic in the District by pro-life activists. Ms. Silverman, describing how tense the atmosphere was during voir dire, shares an exchange that took place between a defense attorney and a potential juror. According to Ms. Silverman, “It was so tense in the courtroom at times that a defense attorney alleged a potential juror got into a screaming match with antiabortion activists outside the courthouse. An antiabortion supporter allegedly distributed leaflets outside the courthouse that the judge said was meant to influence the jury.” Additionally, another defense attorney claimed that working for a Democratic congresswoman would disqualify a juror from service. U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly rejected this argument. During jury selection, Judge Kollar-Kotelly emphasized to the potential jury pool, “It’s not about abortion itself. It’s about access.” For some jurors, however, this distinction did little to sway their opinion or influence their ability to be impartial.
San Francisco Program Report Documents Benefits of Increased Juror Pay
Earlier this week, the San Francisco Financial Justice Project published the findings from an evaluation of its Be The Jury program, which raises juror pay for low to moderate income jurors from $15 to $100 a day. The report found that the program positively impacted racial and economic diversity in San Francisco jury pools. So far, over 1,000 San Franciscans have participated in Be The Jury. The program’s success has inspired state lawmakers to seek to replicate it across additional counties in California. Assembly Bill 881, currently in the Senate Appropriations Committee, would expand the program to Los Angeles, Alameda, Kern, and Monterey counties.
Please Submit Nominations for the 2023 Munsterman Award
The Center for Jury Studies at the National Center for State Courts is now accepting nominations for the G. Thomas Munsterman Award for Jury Innovation. The award is named for Tom Munsterman, founder and former director of the Center for Jury Studies and an internationally renowned innovator in jury systems and research. The award recognizes states, local courts, individuals, or other organizations that have made significant improvements or innovations in jury procedures, operations, or practices. Nominations will be accepted until 5:00 pm ET on Friday, Sept. 22, 2023. Click here to submit the name of a nominee. Contact Judge Greg Mize or Hope Forbush if you have questions about the nomination process.