]Prospective and selected jurors reporting for duty at Riverside County courthouses next week will receive a special thanks from the Superior Court as part of “Juror Appreciation Week.”
“Jurors guarantee that everyone has the right to a trial where they can be heard and judged by their peers,” said county Presiding Judge Becky Dugan. “We deeply appreciate the sacrifices and contributions jurors make to our justice system.”
This is the 20th year that the court will observe Juror Appreciation Week, during which jurors receive pens and other items to commemorate the occasion. The period is always observed during the second week of May in accordance with a resolution passed by the Legislature.
In previous years, court officials have taken the opportunity to remind jurors about their responsibilities and conditions of acting as triers of fact, including the prohibition against tweeting or text-messaging information on cases.
Dugan noted that a number of improvements have been made locally to lessen the burden on residents who commit to serving on a panel, including “one-day or one-trial service, plain-language jury instructions and a soon-to- be implemented new automated jury check-in system.”
More than 130,000 state residents serve on juries each year — out of roughly 8 million who are summoned — according to the California Judicial Council.
State officials pointed out that roughly 80 percent of prospective jurors meet their obligations in one day and are excused.
— City News Service