NCJ Number
108901
Journal
Judicature Volume: 71 Issue: 4 Dated: (December-January 1988) Pages: 215-218
Date Published
1988
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article proposes an approach for stimulating team management in trial courts by describing the Federal Judicial Center's training program in jury management which brings together chief judges, clerks, and jury administrators in an effort to transcend traditional barriers and implement change.
Abstract
Impediments to team building in professional organizations are discussed, such as certifications, generic titles, and language. The paper examines organizational impact of high-level but yet subordinate professional positions and paraprofessional jobs. In designing a team management curriculum, the Center invited all prospective members of the jury management team from several courts. Seating was arranged around a large open square, and judges were seated next to deputy clerks and clerks from other courts through preassigned seating. No outside speakers were used, and the seminars were divided into discrete subject areas using a format that promoted the exchange of ideas and practices. The paper describes other tactics used to erode the hierarchical communication barriers, such as small group sessions and informal receptions. Follow-up activities are discussed, as are comments from participants on the seminar's impact. Program design elements and logistical considerations to promote team management training are outlined.