Effective Use of Jurors

Definition:  Juror Yield is the percentage of citizens summoned for jury duty who are qualified and report to serve.  Juror Utilization is the percentage of jurors reporting to serve who are used at least once in trial or voir dire.

Purpose:  The effective use of jurors is influenced by many factors, including the integrity of source lists used to summon jurors, the effectiveness of jury management practices, the willingness of citizens to serve, the efficacy of excuse and postponement policies, and the number of exemptions allowed.  The objective of this measure is to minimize the number of unused prospective jurors -- the number of citizens who are summoned, qualified, and report to jury service, but who are not needed.

The court is in the process of implementing a new juror information system.  This new system will make it possible to track juror yield and juror utilization much more effectively for the more than 30,000 jurors who serve in Superior Court each year.

Juror Satisfaction Survey

Superior Court also places great emphasis on providing a pleasant experience for jurors when they serve their jury duty.  In 2008, the court conducted a juror exit survey that assessed the experience of jurors who served.  Comments were overwhelmingly positive, and suggestions provided in the survey responses are helping the court plan for future improvements.

Read a report summarizing the results of the 2008 Juror Exit Survey.