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 Cathy 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.