Jury Administration and Management

• Juror Pay—In 2000, jurors received the first pay increase since 1957 from $5 to $15 per day plus travel per diem.
• One-day or one-trial (PDF)—Rule 2.1002 of the California Rules of Court established new terms of service for jurors
• Model juror summons—At least 15 courts have implemented the standardized, statewide summons for jury service.
• Failure to Appear (FTA) Kit—A set of model practices and sample materials developed to assist courts in addressing the issue of jurors' failure to appear for jury service.
• Deferral of Jury Service—Under rule 2.1004 of the California Rules of Court jury commissioners should accommodate a prospective juror's schedule by granting the juror's request for a one-time deferral of jury service.
• Deferral of Jury Service—Under rule 2.1004 of the California Rules of Court a mother who is breastfeeding a child may request that jury service be deferred for up to one year and may renew that request as long as she is breastfeeding.
• Jury data survey—Jury managers in each court complete a comprehensive survey about critical components of jury administration and judicial practices, including the implementation of legislative and rule of court requirements initiated by the Blue Ribbon Commission on Jury System Improvement and the Task Force on Jury System Improvements.
• JINetwork—JINetwork is a knowledge- and resource-sharing tool for court administrators, jury managers, and judges. JINetwork includes a listserv and companion Web site where projects, information, and ideas are shared.
• Hardship excuses—Under rule 2.1008 of the California Rules of Court jury commissioners must apply uniform standards for hardship excuses.
• Juror Complaints—Section 10.51 of the California Standards of Judicial Administration, encourages implementation of a mechanism for responding to jurors' complaints.
• National Change of Address system—Section 10.31 of the California Standards of Judical Administration encourages the use of the National Change of Address system to update jury lists.

Jury Selection and Structure of the Trial Jury

• Judicial officer education—Section 10.469(b) of the California Standards of Judicial Administration, promotes judicial officer education on the treatment of jurors and on conducting jury trials, in particular the process of jury selection (voir dire) through use of CJER materials and programs.
• Standard criminal questionnaire—A questionnaire for use in jury selection in general criminal cases allows written examiniation of jurors.

Trial Procedure

• Ideals Made Real—The first statewide juror orientation video for use in all courts.
• Juror Note-taking—Jurors must be permitted to take written notes in all civil and criminal trials. At the beginning of a trial, a trial judge must inform jurors that they may take written notes during the trial. The court must provide materials suitable for this purpose (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 2.1031).
• Juror Questions—A trial judge should allow jurors to submit written questions directed to witnesses. An opportunity must be given to counsel to object to such questions out of the presence of the jury (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 2.1033).
• Statements to the Jury Panel—Prior to the examination of prospective jurors, the trial judge may, in his or her discretion, permit brief opening statements by counsel to the panel (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 2.1034).
• Assisting the Jury at Impasse—A trial judge may give additional instructions, clarify previous instructions, permit attorneys to make additional closing arguments, or any combi­nation of these measures to assist a jury that has reached an impasse (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 2.1036).
• Preinstructing the Jury—A trial judge may preinstruct the jury concerning the elements of the charges or claims in the case at trial, the jury’s duties and its conduct, the order of proceedings, the procedures to be followed for submitting questions if questions are allowed, and legal principles that will govern the proceedings (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 2.1035).
• Juror Notebooks in Complex Civil Cases—A trial judge should encourage counsel in complex civil cases to include key documents, exhibits, and other appropriate materials in notebooks for use by jurors during trial to assist them in performing their duties (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 2.1032).