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<br />e <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />M E M 0 RAN DUM <br /> <br />March 8, 1985 <br /> <br />TO: <br /> <br />Mayor and City Council ~~ <br />Sandra Franklin, Court Administrato~ <br /> <br />FROM: <br /> <br />RE: <br /> <br />Questioning of Prospective Jurors <br /> <br />At Council's request, scheduled for the March 13, 1985 council <br />session is a follow-up discussion on the voir-dire procedure in <br />Municipal Court. (Voir-dire is the term used, to describe the <br />questioning of prospective jurors.) Municipal Court introduced <br />an Ordinance before Council on January 9, 1985 which would <br />implement an automated jury selection process. Included in the <br />Ordinance was a change in the procedure for questioning prospective <br />jurors. <br /> <br />Although concerns were raised about the changes to the voir-dire <br />procedure, the Ordinance was passed with the stipulation the issue <br />of the voir-dire process be re-visited ata later date. Court <br />changed its juror selection process from a yearly draw system <br />to a monthly "pool" system. Under the monthly "pool" system, <br />jurors serve, on-call for one month versus serving on-call for <br />one year. (Attached to this memo is a brief description of the <br />voir-dire procedures before and after implementation of the <br />automated juror selection process.) <br /> <br />The rationale behind the change in the voir-dire procedure was <br />related to the timeliness of trials and the cost of those trials. <br />If the Judge conducts the voir-dire process, the length and <br />cost of the trial can be controlled. <br /> <br />At the request of Councilor Ehrman, a packet of information <br />has been prepared to assist you in your review of this issue. <br />Included in the packet are various trial statistics and comments <br />on the new procedure from several individuals. <br /> <br />If you have any questions, please call. I can be reached at <br />687-5407. <br />