RESPONSES

What is one-day/one-trial?

One-day/one-trial refers to a term of jury service in with a person’s service is limited to the completion of one trial. If that person is not selected for a jury on their first day of service, he or she fulfills the jury service requirement by having been available on that day. Persons may be on call for several days, but once they report, their service is completed by serving one day or one trial.

Top

What procedures are being used in courts that utilize one-day/one-trial?

The court calls prospective jurors to serve for a period of only one day. If selected as a juror on that day, the person serves until the case is completed. If not selected, the prospective juror is considered to have fulfilled the obligation of service until called again – generally many years later.

Some courts require prospective jurors to be available – that is, to call in and see whether they must report for jury service – for several days or weeks. Once the person has been summoned for jury service, however, his or her obligation ends at the completion of one day or one trial. Some courts consider persons who are available, but are not asked to report, to have completed their obligation.

The practice was first used in Houston ( Harris County ), Texas in 1972, and has spread across the country.

Top

What are the advantages of one-day/one-trial?

Some advantages include:

· Jury service that is limited to the longer of one day or one trial reduces the hardship associated with service, thus reducing the need for exemptions or excuses from jury service;

· The reduced number of persons excused with one-day/one-trial jury service terms increases the representative and inclusive nature of the jury pool;

· One-day/one-trial jury service terms encourage courts to make more efficient use of juror time (since they have only one day to use the prospective juror’s services), thus increasing juror satisfaction with jury service; and

· Because one-day/one-trial jury service terms require courts to summon greater numbers of prospective jurors, more persons have the educational experience of serving on a jury, which is generally a positive experience.

Top

What are the disadvantages of one-day/one-trial?

Some disadvantages include:

· Compared with courts that have longer terms for jury service, courts that use a one-day/one-trial system have to summon greater numbers of persons for jury service;

· Compared with longer jury service terms, one-day/one-trial systems have increased administrative costs for postage, forms, and court staff;

· One-day/one-trial systems necessarily preclude the development of “seasoned jurors” or the ability to track juror performance on prior trials;

· One-day/one-trial systems require courts to conduct juror orientation more frequently; and

· Inefficient use of juror time by courts using one-day/one-trial systems can result in a wasted day and a poor jury experience for the person summoned for jury service.

Top