Spokane County Jurors Honored

Sun., May 2, 1999

By Tom Sowa toms@spokesman.com (509) 459-5492

Court officials on Monday will salute the thousands of people who serve on Spokane County juries each year.

The show of appreciation comes as the state is about to launch a yearlong study aimed at making jury duty more attractive.

Statewide, response to jury summonses is often as low as 25 percent. The Board for Judicial Administration will be studying what can be changed to create more interest in jury service.

Washington State University-Spokane professor David Brody has been named the study committee’s technical consultant.

Among the options under consideration: scrapping the traditional, mandatory two weeks of jury duty.

Some counties have experimented with a one-day, one-trial model, Brody said. Jurors are required to come to the courthouse on a given day. Either they serve on a jury that day or they are discharged from further service.

Other counties are looking at increasing daily compensation for jurors.

Most counties, including Spokane, pay jurors $10 a day, plus mileage.

Lincoln County pays $10 the first day of service, $20 for each subsequent day. Wahkiakum, Walla Walla and Skamania counties pay $25 a day or $10 for a half-day.

“Some states, like Arizona and New York, have adopted $40 a day plans,” Brody said.

IF YOU GO The public is invited to Juror Appreciation Day, which starts at 8:30 a.m. in the Spokane County Public Works Building meeting room. Speakers will talk about the evolution of America’s jury system. Refreshments will be served.

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