The questions that provisional jurors face at preliminary hearings are tailored to the specific cases they may hear. They change with each new juror. Now, the process of questioning potential jurors has been reshaped by the pandemic.

Coconino County has been a state leader in the implementation of digital jury surveys, according to Coconino County Superior Court Clerk Valerie Wyant.

In the early days of the pandemic, it was very important for courts to adapt to the CDC’s guidelines on social distancing and indoor gatherings. At the same time, the obligation to be shown justice in a timely manner by a peer jury remained the same for defendants and defendants.

By balancing these two obligations, courts have entered the digital age.

“In the old days, pre-pandemic, when the jurors reported their preliminary hearings, they were all in the courtroom together. We’re removing those very distressing questions and asking them, and the big change now is that it’s all done online in advance,” Wyant explains.

In addition to reducing the physical footprint of jurors in courts, digital research brings other benefits to local justice systems.

In court, they usually question jurors aloud and make decisions on the spot to remove or retain them.

In 2021, the Arizona Supreme Court has halted heavy-handed strikes, so attorneys can’t ask a judge to dismiss a jury without giving reasons. Still, jurors can be immune on legal grounds, and attorneys can challenge on good grounds. That is, citizens can be asked to “strike” or be removed from the jury for reasons that promote fairness in trials.

A new online survey system allows attorneys and judges to spend more time deciding whether to retain or remove jurors.

Another benefit of the new online system, Wyant said, is that it will be enjoyed by citizens selected for potential services.

“We got great feedback on how it went. [from jurors]Many people love online surveys. You can answer these questions from the comfort of your own home instead of being in a crowded courtroom. I think there is a certain amount of embarrassment when you are in a crowd. This allows people to be a little more open and honest, and that’s great. ”

Filling out a survey is faster than waiting in court for your turn to respond. Locally, the Coconino County Superior Court has been working on outstanding cases since the early days of the pandemic. They also work in relatively small courts with relatively limited staff and generally work on numerous criminal and civil cases.

The new tool will serve as a boon to the system, explained Coconino County Superior Court Chief Judge Dan Slayton.

“The time it took for jurors to be seated was significantly reduced, and the number of people who had to call from home or work decreased,” says Slayton. “I think the survey really helped me drill down on the right jurors to be able to spend time and be objective and impartial.”

Answering survey questions online isn’t the only new perk of civic duty.

The per diem that the Arizona juror was receiving was $12 a day. The amount has increased. Before the pandemic, jurors would have required him to spend five or more days in a seat near the witness stand for a higher reward.

Higher salaries are now available from day one.

“You can get up to $300 a day in compensation, depending on your financial situation,” says Wyant.

In addition to the prospect of higher compensation, jurors will now see increased travel costs. Jurors received 44.5 cents per mile to cover their commuting costs to court. Today the jury will reimburse her 62.5 cents per mile.

“Even people commuting in Flagstaff will see a slight increase. If, like Paige, you are someone else reporting for jury service somewhere in the community, Or if you’re from Fredonia, it’s a pretty refund check’ service.

In addition to eliminating mandatory dissent statewide, the increased compensation ideally helps ensure that jurors are more diverse.

“People serving on jurors may think, ‘Oh, that’s a drug,’ when they first receive their first subpoena,” Wyant said. It is important.”