Juror Calling in the news - Image screenshot of video by WSAZ. Image credit goes to WSAZ News Channel 3

Juror Calling Makes The News – New jury calling system unveiled in several W.Va. counties

Juror Calling in the news - Image screenshot of video by WSAZ. Image credit goes to WSAZ News Channel 3
Juror Calling in the news - Image screenshot of video by WSAZ. Image credit goes to WSAZ News Channel 3

In certain regions of West Virginia, the procedure for jury duty is undergoing a transformation, with the court systems attempting to adopt a more modernized approach to inform potential jurors of their obligation. In a few counties, such as Kanawha County, the customary method has been replaced with a novel “Juror Calling System.” According to Kanawha County Circuit Clerk Cathay Gatson, jurors had to call in earlier to determine if they were required to appear, which was a nuisance. The new automated notification system for jurors, known as Juror Calling, is comparable to the alerts and messages you may receive from your doctor or educational institution.

Jurors in certain counties are still initially summoned through conventional mail accompanied by a questionnaire. The Juror Calling System is used only after potential jurors are deemed eligible.

According to Gatson, the court administrator’s office only activates the automated notification system when there’s a requirement for a certain number of jurors for a specific trial.

The Juror Calling System is already in use in Cabell, Kanawha, and Putnam counties, and other areas are following suit. It’s possible that this system may be implemented in your locality soon if it hasn’t already.

Last year, Kanawha County Circuit Court had to summon approximately 7,500 jurors for all the trials taking place. By utilizing this system, they hope to expedite the process.

West Virginia Association of Counties

Juror Calling to Participate in WV Association of Counties Annual Conference

Juror Calling is proud to be participating in the Annual WV Association of Counties Conference on Monday, February 11, 2019 at the Charleston, WV Marriott.

The WV Association of Counties is proud to say: they are fifty-five reasons why West Virginia is such a wonderful place to live and work, raise our families, and glory in the natural beauty of our hills and valleys.

This association provides the tools to assist our elected county officials in making county government work for the benefit of our citizens, promoting the good works from public service, and finding solutions to make West Virginia grow and prosper.  Their primary function is coordinating the legislative relations between the counties and the State, influencing legislation at the state capitol in Charleston that affects county government operations and their programs that impact the people.

Juror Calling looks forward to meeting representatives from all 55 counties in WV.

Call us for more information at 800-205-4848.

West Virginia Association of Counties

6 Amazing Benefits of Jury Duty

Most people cringe when they get summoned for jury duty, but 67% of American adults still think jury duty is part of being a good citizen. While it’s important to give back to your country, the personal benefits of jury duty might be harder to see. There might be things you’d rather do than serve on a jury, but we want to put a positive spin on jury duty and show you how it can actually benefit you.

Learn About the System

Knowledge is power, and unless you went to school for something law related, your understanding of the legal system is pretty limited. Through jury duty, you get a first-hand experience of how the judicial system in your country works.

Not only can you benefit just from the learning process, but if you ever end up in court yourself, you’ll better understand how to speak with attorneys and judges, how to behave, and the documentation you’ll need for your case.

Meet New People

By nature, juries are diverse, which gives you the chance to meet and converse with a mix of people. No matter where you live, you probably don’t spend a considerable chunk of your time in a room with people who are very different from you, but whether it’s in the juror waiting room or as part of your jury group, you have the opportunity to do so.

If your jury sentence is a lengthy one, even if it’s only a few days, you might just walk away with some new friends.

A Sense of Authority and Empowerment

When it comes to jury duty, hard work pays off. After you’ve put in the effort to listen to the case, and it’s time for the verdict you’ll benefit from the adrenaline rush that comes with being a part of the final decision.

Not only will you have a sense of authority and empowerment, but you’ll also feel successful and accomplished. The verdict conversation is usually insightful, thought-provoking, and deeply contemplative.

A Break From Work

Unless you absolutely adore your job, you could probably use a break. Most people are reluctant to take breaks because they want to look good to bosses, stay on top of work, and not lose out on pay.

But with jury duty, you’re given a valid excuse to take a break. If you’re fortunate enough, your job will pay you for time missed because of jury duty. And if you’re not, you get to take a break from work while still making some money, albeit a small amount, and learning something new, and how often does that opportunity arise?

Check Some Items off Your Personal To Do List

Once you’re assigned to a case and acting as a juror, you’ll need to give your undivided attention, but before that happens, you’ll likely experience a lot of waiting around. While it’s easy to see this as a negative, look for the silver lining.

This time can be spent reading, listening to podcasts, catching up on your favorite Netflix series, or any other activity you’ve been to busy to enjoy.

If you’re a freelance worker, or if your job gives you the option to do some work remotely while you’re off for jury duty, then your time spent in the waiting room can be a golden ticket. You can take advantage of this time by getting work done in a quiet place, and getting paid from your work and from jury duty too.

You Can Make a Difference

Perhaps the most significant benefit of jury duty is that you have the chance to make a difference. Through your role as a juror, you can bring fairness and justice to the world, and make a big difference in the lives of others.

So next time you get a summons, try to remember this article and let the benefits of jury duty shift your perspective. While you do your part to ensure justice, Juror Calling will be working to make juror notification a smooth and effective process.

What really happens if you miss jury duty?

From: The Daily Dot

By: Grant Pardee

The following article, by Grant Pardee, appeared in the Daily Dot.

What happens to you if you blow off juror duty?

Jail? Fine? or even worse?

Find out here:

Serving jury duty is a civic responsibility and part of what keeps the American judicial system honest. It’s also an inconvenient pain will cost you time and money, unless you’re lucky enough to be in a salaried position that’s OK with you missing an indeterminate amount of time.

Your odds of being chosen for jury duty are actually quite low, according to FiveThirtyEight, which reported that last year only 64,000 people were selected for federal jury service in the United States. That’s significantly less 1 percent of the adult population.

But what happens if you are summoned and decide to ignore it? What happens if you miss jury duty?

The short answer is probably nothing.

The longer answer is also probably nothing, but it depends. The reality is that it’s generally not in the court’s best interests to spend time and resources tracking down people who don’t show up for jury duty. It’s time-consuming; more case dockets to their workload; and is generally a futile and fruitless exercise when the court’s attention could be better spent elsewhere. Not to mention, judges in many areas are electable and accountable to the public, so sending out fines and then sussing out who actually did or did not receive the summons is a headache that most courts would prefer to avoid.

That doesn’t mean, however, you should ignore your summons and not show up for jury duty. Just because it’s unlikely you will be penalized, it can happen.

Click here for FULL article.

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Supreme Court allows military to implement Trump administration’s transgender restrictions

From: Press Herald

By: Jessica Gresko

The following announcement appeared in the Press Herald on Friday, January 25, 2019.

The Trump administration can go ahead with its plan to restrict military service by transgender men and women while court challenges continue, the Supreme Court said Tuesday.

The high court split 5-4 in allowing the plan to take effect, with the court’s five conservatives greenlighting it and its four liberal members saying they would not have. The order from the court was brief and procedural, with no elaboration from the justices.

The court’s decision clears the way for the Pentagon to bar enlistment by people who have undergone a gender transition. It will also allow the administration to require that military personnel serve as members of their biological gender unless they began a gender transition under less restrictive Obama administration rules.

The Trump administration has sought for more than a year to change the Obama-era rules and had urged the justices to take up cases about its transgender troop policy immediately, but the court declined for now.

Click here for FULL article.

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$70 MILLION TALCUM POWDER JURY VERDICT IN ST. LOUIS MISSOURI

From: Levin Simes

The following appears on Levin Simes & Abrams web site.

Johnson and Johnson (J&J) lost another verdict regarding its failure to warn about the potential risk of ovarian cancer from talcum powder products. A St. Louis Missouri jury awarded Deborah Giannecchini $2.5 million from J&J in pain and suffering, another $2.5 million from co-defendant Imerys Talc America, and ordered Johnson and Johnson to pay an additional $65 million in punitive damages.

This is not the first verdict against Johnson & Johnson for ovarian cancer. J&J previously had verdicts of $55 million and $72 million against it for hiding the risk of ovarian cancer.

The Plaintiff:

The plaintiff Deborah Giannecchini stated in court she had used talcum powder for feminine hygiene for nearly half a century. Three years prior to trial she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, a rare disease that is difficult to find and treat early.  She has undergone chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery to try and control the spread of her cancer.  Her doctors have given her an 80% chance of dying from ovarian cancer within the next two years.

Deborah had no knowledge of the potential cancer risks of using talcum powder in this fashion.

Click here for FULL article.

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Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Court, General Trial Division, uses a Technology Solution for Juror Notification

The following article is by Elizabeth W. Stephenson, Court Administrator in Ohio.

The Court of Common Pleas, General Trial Division, along with Clerk of Courts Jeanne Stephen has improved its methods of juror notification. The process of notifying jurors begins with a summons from the Sheriff that tells them the two-week period that they are on call for jury duty.  Following that initial notification, the jurors traditionally needed to telephone a certain number to find out when they need to report. The newest improvement to the system is that the court has contracted with a software vendor called Juror Calling so that a notification goes out to jurors the night before they need to report.  Jurors will receive a text, an email and an automated message with reporting instructions.  Jurors also receive a text and call on the day they are to report.

Jurors can also be notified if a trial is cancelled for any reason.  This method is in addition to the website and the traditional method of the juror calling a certain number the night before their service to find out if they are obligated to report.

Because people’s lives are very busy, and we routinely receive reminders from hair salons and doctor offices, we have come to need and expect these reminders.  We decided that it was time for us to do a better job of getting reminders out to our jurors, using modern technology. In the past, jurors would forget to call to find out the reporting date, or they forgot to come to jury duty and instead go to work. Then the clerk’s office staff would have to call jurors while the courtroom participants wait until the juror leaves work and drives to the courthouse. The new reminder system has almost eliminated all of those problems.  There are reporting days with 100% turnout from the jurors from whom we received a questionnaire and therefore phone numbers.

We very carefully made the decision to use cell, landline, and text messages within this notification system.  We can’t send messages using different methods to jurors within one group. So the whole panel of prospective jurors must receive the same messages using the same methods.  Many people only have landlines. Many younger people only have cell numbers. And some people who have cell numbers do not set up their voicemail. So, we need to call cell numbers and landline numbers, as well as a text message to cell phones.  We have not had any complaints about the redundant messages.

Another improvement that our court made last year is that we upgraded the website and now it includes reporting information for prospective jurors. The Clerk’s office makes a quick change to the website daily so that the reporting information is current.  This way, jurors can check the website to find out whether they need to report for jury duty.

For more information, contact Elizabeth W. Stephenson, Court Administrator, 330-365-3299; st********@co.us

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Juror Calling Client Testimonials

Read our client Testimonials. If you would like to submit a testimonial or just helpful feedback, we would love to hear from you.

Please leave us a review on Facebook or on Google!

Here are some of our favorites.

Juror Calling is easy to use, it takes the burden off the Juror to call in as to when to report, it is much more efficient and effective than the old method, I do not have to pull an excessive number of jurors now, because I typically have 99% attendance, It is indispensable for last minute notifications when we have bad weather, trial cancellation, dismissal and rescheduling.

Mr. Paul Flanagan, Circuit Clerk at Raleigh County Circuit Court

 

Juror Calling, has made communicating with jurors easier. Juror Calling has raised the bar to a new level of quick communication. I am very satisfied with Juror Calling, and the great support that they provide!

Bruce DeWees, Circuit Clerk of Jackson County

 

I like having the report to show that all of the notifications sent and who responded and who responded to them. There is a 97-98% appearance rate of jurors, which is remarkable. Text messaging is great. I like being able to reach the site from my home computer. I like the technology.

Margaret Bryant, Deputy Clerk, Mercer County Circuit Court

 

It greatly reduces the number of calls that we receive from Jurors.

Ms. Debbie Facemire, Circuit Clerk, Nicholas County WV
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9 Things Lawyers Look for When Picking a Jury

From: Mental Floss

By: Jessica Hullinger

Good insightful article by Jessica Hullinger.

At some point in your adult life, chances are good you’ll be called to serve jury duty. But the odds that you’ll actually sit on a trial are much lower. What, exactly, makes an ideal juror? What are lawyers on both sides of a case looking for in a lineup of random people? The answer, of course, depends on the case itself. But there are a few general traits attorneys take into consideration when trying to decide whether you’d help or hurt their argument.

Attorneys don’t get to pick their jurors. Instead, using a mixture of intense questioning, keen observation, and stereotyping, they get to eliminate people they think would hurt their case. “It’s not like a baseball team where you can choose your team members,” says Jeffrey Frederick, Director of Jury Research Services at the National Legal Research Groupand author of Mastering Voir Dire and Jury Selection. “It’s not who I want, it’s who I don’t want. What we try to do is think of what backgrounds, life experiences, cognitive styles, opinions, and values jurors might have that would make them less receptive to our case.” Clues like demographics and personality can improve a lawyer’s chance of predicting a juror’s stance on a verdict by up to 15 percent. Here are a few things lawyers take into consideration when trying to figure you out.

1. YOUR RELATIONSHIPS

Attorneys pay close attention to any relationships that might color your opinions. For example, “if it’s a medical malpractice case and there’s a woman and all of her friends are nurses, that might bias her a little bit,” says Matthew Ferrara, Ph.D, a trial consultant and forensic psychologist. And if you have friends or family in law enforcement, that’s a big red flag. “In a criminal case, relationship to someone in law enforcement is paramount,” Ferrara says. “People who are probation officers, police officers, jailers or are related to the same type of profession would be probably viewed as biased toward the prosecution.”

2. YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE LAW

Even if you aren’t directly related to a police officer or member of the judicial system, you can still have opinions about law enforcement rooted in your own personal experiences. Perhaps you feel you were unfairly ticketed for speeding, or you’ve been the victim of police profiling. This is all very important, because research shows that when juries deliberate, they spend 50 percent of their time talking about their own personal experiences as a way of judging the case. To sniff out bias, lawyers will ask jurors if they agree with statements like, “If someone is charged, they’re probably guilty,” or “Laws do more to protect the rights of criminal defendants and too little for victims and families,” or “Would you believe the testimony of a police officer based solely on his position as an officer?”

The defense is going to look for people who are more open-minded about the law, and don’t always believe that it makes the right call. The plaintiff attorney or prosecutor will generally look for people more inclined to trust authority.

One quick way to get dismissed from a jury, according to Tom King, a former Deputy Prosecutor in Indiana, is to voice strong opinions about the legal system: “Say, ‘I’ve read about these criminal prosecutions where the police and the prosecutors made up evidence and I just don’t think it’s a fair system.’”

Click here for remaining 7 things and FULL article.

 

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Juror Calling Solves the Problem of Jurors Calling in Everyday!

Juror Calling, Increase Juror AttendanceHow many jurors must you select for a trial to get the number of jurors you need? Is it difficult to notify jurors of a canceled trial or closure because of inclement weather or another calamity? Would you consider Juror Calling, a product that would make your job a lot easier and increase the number of jurors that show up?

Court room jury box filled with jurors of a diverse mix

Juror Calling is made specifically for court clerks. It is an easy and affordable way to take away the confusion of miscommunication and communicates important messages in a timely fashion.

Juror Calling is indispensable for last minute notification of bad weather, trial cancellation, dismissal, and rescheduling. Also, a detailed report is provided showing the progress of each voice messages, email and text messages. Jurors appreciate the timely notifications/reminders, Judges marvel at the numbers of jurors that arrive for trials and court clerks rave about the convenience. Messages go out within minutes after you launch the notification or can be scheduled for a later time or day. It ensures that everyone gets the same message.

A one-time setup and training fee plus a monthly fee depending on the size of your county is all you need to get started. A professional support staff will be available during your startup process and continues through your day to day operation.

For more information contact us today. Check out our testimonials.

 

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