A group of Queens high school students learned about the importance of jury service during a civic engagement program at Queens County Supreme Court in Jamaica on Monday.
Richmond Hill High School students learned valuable lessons on civic duty through jury service at a forum led by Honorable Audrey I. Pheffer, Queens County Clerk and Commissioner of Jurors, on March 10. The Queens County Supreme Court-Civil Term Equal Justice in the Courts Committee led the program.
An important civic duty
The program began with a video that was shown to all who were called to be prospective jurors. Much of the program centered on the importance of being fair and impartial when serving on the jury and acknowledging and setting aside any implicit bias.
Pheffer then explained the jury selection process to students and the significance of jury service.
As the Commissioner of Jurors, Pheffer oversees the process by which prospective jurors are selected. “ The constitution of the United States says that you are judged by your peers… it is my responsibility to make sure that the prospective jurors that come in are representative of Queens County,” she said.
Pheffer explained that she does not determine whether a person should serve as a juror in a court case, as that is up to the discretion of judges and/or lawyers, depending on the nature of the case.
In Queens County, any resident over 18 may be selected as a prospective juror. Serving on a jury is a legal obligation, and individuals may be called to serve once every six years.
Prospective juror information is gathered through various sources, including driver’s license registration, tax records, and social service records. A machine randomly selects names, and the Queens County Supreme Court sends notices.
There are certain exemptions from jury service, including for students attending college, those who have planned vacations before receiving a jury notice, and individuals who are ill.
All prospective jurors are required to complete a mandatory questionnaire to assess their eligibility. The questions include whether the individual can communicate and understand English, whether they are a U.S. citizen, and whether they have been convicted of a felony.
In civil court, six jurors are selected, while in criminal court, 12 jurors are chosen. Jurors receive $40 per day for their service. In civil court, a verdict requires the agreement of five out of six jurors based on a question sheet provided by the attorneys. In contrast, criminal court decisions require a unanimous verdict from all 12 jurors. After completing their service, jurors are given a certificate of service, which exempts them from jury duty for the next six years.
Jurors must adhere to a set of rules, or “charges,” provided by the judge at the start of their service. These rules prohibit jurors from discussing the case outside of the courtroom, researching the case online or on social media, or interacting with the attorneys involved. Additionally, jurors are not allowed to discuss the case among themselves until deliberations begin.
