ANALYSIS OF JURY MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE ORDERS AND PROCEDURES IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF MANATEE COUNTY, BRADENTON, FLORIDA - CRIMINAL COURTS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROJECT

• NCJ Number: 49690
• Author(s): H J KOENIG; D SAARI; P CARRINGTON
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 53 pages
• Contract Number(s): J-LEAA-013-76
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: American University
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE JURY SYSTEM IN MANATEE COUNTY, FLORIDA, WAS STUDIED FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEVELOPING A DAILY PROCEDURAL MANUAL ENCOMPASSING TECHNICAL, FINANCIAL, AND DATA PROCESSING TECHNIQUES.

Abstract

EXAMINING THE FUNCTIONS OF THE JURY SYSTEM INVOLVED FOUR STAGES OF EVALUATION: SYSTEM DESCRIPTION, COLLECTION OF USAGE DATA, DATA ANALYSIS, AND PREPARATION OF CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. GUIDELINES WERE DEVELOPED TO ASSIST JURY SYSTEM PERSONNEL IN ASSESSING AND IMPROVING THE EFFICIENCY OF THEIR OPERATIONS IN RELATION TO FOUR OBJECTIVES: (1) MAXIMIZATION OF RESPONSIVENESS TO COURT NEEDS; (2) INVOLVEMENT OF CITIZENS IN JURY SERVICES; (3) MINIMIZATION OF ECONOMIC BURDENS ON INDIVIDUALS; AND (4) REDUCTION OF COMMUNITY COSTS OF THE JURY SYSTEM. FUNCTIONS OF THE COUNTY JURY SYSTEM WERE EXAMINED IN 1977 WITH REGARD TO THE NUMBER OF JUDGES HEARING JURY TRIALS, THE NUMBER OF COURT ROOMS, THE BASIC JURY SYSTEM STRUCTURE, JUROR SELECTION PROCEDURES, SUMMONING, USAGE, REPORTING, AND DISMISSAL. IT WAS EVIDENT, BASED ON THE ANALYSIS, THAT JURY MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES WERE SUITED TO REQUIREMENTS OF THE COUNTY, BUT CERTAIN PROCEDURES COULD BE IMPROVED UPON AND MADE MORE EFFICIENT. IT WAS FOUND, FOR INSTANCE, THAT TOO MANY JURORS WERE CALLED FOR A SCHEDULED TRIAL WHICH RESULTED IN UNNECESSARY WASTE OF JUROR TIME AND FUNDS. MONITORING AND EVALUATING THE SYSTEM, REDUCING THE SIZE OF PANELS, AND REDUCING THE NUMBER OF PERSONS ULTIMATELY NOT REQUIRED WOULD IMPROVE JUROR USAGE EFFICIENCY IN COUNTY AND CIRCUIT COURTS. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER FILES WAS CONDUCTED TO CREATE A METHOD OF UPDATING AND INDEXING THAT WOULD CONSTITUTE A UNIFORM FILING SYSTEM. IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT ADMINISTRATIVE ORDERS BE RECLASSIFIED INTO THREE DIVISIONS: (1) ADMINISTRATIVE ORDERS WHICH SERVE AS PROCEDURAL DIRECTIONS FOR COURT PROCESS; (2) DIRECTIVES RELATING TO TIME SCHEDULES, COURT SCHEDULES, ARRAIGNMENTS, AND SUMMONS RETURN DATES; AND (3) LOCAL RULES. A DESCRIPTION OF A LOOSE-LEAF FILE RECOMMENDED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE ORDERS IS PROVIDED. TABULAR, NARRATIVE, AND GRAPHICAL INFORMATION COLLECTED DURING THE SAMPLE PERIOD ARE INCLUDED IN APPENDIXES, ALONG WITH JUROR SELECTION AND USAGE FORMS.