Idaho Jury Office Receives National Jury Innovation Award
The Ada County Jury Office in Idaho has been awarded the 2024 G. Thomas Munsterman Award for Jury Innovation, recognizing its efforts to improve the jury service experience. The office has made significant updates, including remodeling the jury assembly room with new workstations and a café, introducing online questionnaires, and implementing real-time chat support to assist jurors. Additionally, Ada County has launched a Jury Assistance Fund, funded by juror donations, which helps cover costs for transportation and childcare, making the service more accessible and less burdensome.
"I commend the staff in Ada County for their commitment to prioritizing juror needs," said Center for Jury Studies Director Paula Hannaford-Agor. "The office’s recent improvements and innovations demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of the sacrifices jurors make in order to serve."
The office's community partnerships with local businesses further enhance the experience, offering discounts on meals and transportation for jurors. With a five-day term of service and most jurors being released within hours, the office prioritizes efficiency to reduce stress and financial impact on participants. Serving up to 3,000 jurors monthly and summoning 55,000 jurors annually, Ada County has set a high standard for other jurisdictions through its innovative practices aimed at improving juror satisfaction and civic engagement.
NCSC and the Center for Jury Studies thank this year’s applicants and celebrate their innovations in the interest of jurors.
Lubbock County Transitions to Fully Online Jury Registration System
MSN News and the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal report that Lubbock County is transitioning to an online-only jury registration system, eliminating the traditional paper questionnaires that used to be mailed with summonses. Residents summoned for jury service will now receive a postcard directing them to fill out a jury eligibility questionnaire online. This change is expected to streamline the process, as the county mails around 1,400 summonses per week. By switching to the new system, the county anticipates saving between $8,000 and $10,000 annually in postage and production costs.
For residents without access to a computer or smartphone, the county has set up computers at the Central Jury Pool room where they can complete the questionnaire. Additionally, clerks are available to assist residents in filling out the form over the phone. This move builds on Lubbock County's earlier adoption of an online registration option in 2014, and officials are confident it will make jury service more convenient and cost-effective. Other counties that have implemented similar systems have reported positive results.
Appellate Court Rules that Right to Jury Trial Can Be Waived
NBC News reports that a New Jersey appellate court ruled that Georgia and John McGinty cannot sue Uber after a crash that left them severely injured because their daughter had once waived the family's right to a jury trial while using Uber Eats.
The court upheld that the daughter's actions, along with Georgia McGinty's previous agreements with Uber, required any disputes to go through arbitration. The couple plans to appeal, emphasizing their Seventh Amendment right to a jury trial, as courts increasingly scrutinize such contractual waivers of consumer rights.