Contact: Mike Vallante
Phone: 626-824-8927
Cell: 626-437-5414
OCTOBER 2, 2002
TO: All News Media
FROM: Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse
Despite the threat of fines and a new one-day,
one-trial system to make jury service easier, a new study released
today shows that more than 80 percent of people summoned to serve
as jurors in Los Angeles County have either moved, are ineligible
to serve, are seeking to be excused, or simply aren't showing
up.
The study, "A Look At California Juries: Participation,
Shortcomings and Recommendations" was conducted by USC professor
Daniel Klerman and commissioned by the American Tort Reform Association.
The data reveal some damning facts about the jury system in Los
Angeles County and California as a whole.
"At a time when Americans profess to be proud
of their freedoms, it's a shame that one in six Californians doesn't
even show up for jury service when called," said CALA Executive
Director Mike Vallante. "Trial by jury is one of the most important
liberties we have. This report highlights the absolute necessity
to focus on those who do not respond to jury summons and why they
are not serving."
The report also highlights some problems within
the court system itself, which make it difficult, if not impossible,
to determine whether programs to improve jury service are having
any effect.
According to the research:
-
17 percent of all Californians summoned fail to report for
jury service.
-
In Los Angeles County, 31. 3 percent of jurors summoned failed
to appear in FY 2000-2001.
-
In FY 1999-2000, more than half of the 1.5 million summons
mailed in Los Angeles County were either undeliverable (incorrect
address) or the person was not qualified to serve on a jury.
In FY 2000-2001, 24 percent of summons were undeliverable
or were sent to unqualified prospects. Nearly 10 percent of
qualified potential jurors (438,000 citizens) asked to be
excused from jury service in FY 2000-2001.
-
For FY 2000-2001, only 9.3 percent of the 4.4 million people
summoned in Los Angeles County actually served on a jury.
-
Recent attempts at jury response rate improvements cannot
be quantified based on current available data.
"The report cites examples of dead people, and
even an occasional dog being summoned for jury duty," Vallante
added. "Clearly we have some work to do both within the court
system and in the public to make the jury system more efficient,
and to encourage more people to serve."
Recommendations offered in the report included:
-
Creation of reliable data collection process in order to
determine who is not serving and why;
-
Enforcement legislation that creates consequences for those
who fail to respond to a juror summons;
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Consideration of juror pay to a more meaningful amount, (current
pay is $15 per day) and tax credits to employers who pay usual
compensation to workers who are absent from work on account
of jury service.
"Our state legislators and court administrators
should give serious consideration to these recommendations, or
the jury system in California will only continue to spiral," Vallante
said.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you would like a CALA
speaker to address your organization or some information for your
organization's newsletter, let us know today.
Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (CALA) is a non-profit,
educational, grassroots organization comprised of small business
and professional people, consumers and others dedicated to the
reform of our civil justice system. If you would like to be added
or deleted from this list, or to request a CALA action kit, please
reply to maryann@maryannmaloney.com.
Feel free to forward this communication and visit our website
at www.losangelescala.org.
