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Today our organization is made up of Jury Commissioners, Administrators, Managers, Clerks and other court personnel that are involved in jury management. Our membership has reach over 300 members in 58 counties in California, and other U.S. States including Texas, Arizona, Oregon, Nevada, Washington, Michigan, Minnesota, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, Michigan, Florida, Maryland, Virginia and New York.
JEM’S BEGINNINGS The spark that started the beginnings of Jury Education and Management (JEM) began in San Diego County. In May of 1982 the Northern California District Court of Appeals decision in “People v Buford” challenged the demographic composition of jury venires. The San Diego Jury department was informed that local criminal defense attorneys might use the strategy employed in People v Buford to challenge San Diego’s jury selection procedures. San Diego contacted Orange County Superior Court, who suggested they contact Los Angeles County who had frequently been challenged, and who may have a better source of information.
The initial planning meeting for the organization took place in Kern County, with counties from Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Ventura, San Diego, Contra Costa, Kings, Santa Barbara, Merced being present. From this and several other meetings the organization was formed, with the name of the group “Jury Education and Management”. |
Our organization started in the early 80s as an informal gathering
of jury managers to discuss issues encountered while performing their daily
duties and to share information helpful to the development of a more
effective jury program. Over the years, our group has evolved to become
a formal organization with our first conference in 1989. The purpose of
the organization is to improve jury operations through the exchange of ideas
and information, and by promoting, enhancing, educating and providing
technical assistance to jury service personnel. 
Each year JEM sponsors two conferences in California - one smaller
conference (Educational Forum) in April, which includes a site visit at one
of the local courthouses, and a large conference in October. During
these conferences relevant topics are discussed including jury management procedures;
jury challenges; jury improvement; how to handle jury problems; customer
service; jury privacy; and various hot topics pertaining to jury and jury
legislation. These conferences also include various vendors relevant to
jury services, such as video and information technology; image and recording
solutions; jury management systems; jury phone systems; network
communication; and specialist in Interactive Voice Response (IVR) just to
name a few.
After a constant exchange of information and ideas between San
Diego, Orange and Los Angeles counties, they thought that other California
jury administrators may find the information useful, or may have different
approaches that would be useful to share with one another. The
three courts organized visitation teams, visiting counties and sharing their
knowledge about running a jury department with people who were in the jury
business. They noticed that some of the counties, especially the very
small counties did not have the opportunity to obtain much of this
knowledge. Information such as how to handle new laws; various computer
systems; jury orientations, jury summons, customer service, and how to work
with judges and attorneys. Letters went out to 58 California Counties
inquiring if they would be interested in forming a jury organization – with
an overwhelming response. That’s how JEM first began.