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Meeting Archives: September 1, 2026

September 1, 2026

Index

To go to a specific meeting material, click one of the links below to be taken to where the text begins on this page. 

Agenda

Task Force on Removing Barriers to Jury Service

Meeting # 8: Trauma

September 1, 2026

Roll Call and Verification of Quorum
  • Chair Kimberly McCullough, Senior Counsel for Government Relations, Oregon Judicial Department (OJD)
Ratify Prior Meeting Minutes
  • Chair McCullough, Senior Counsel for Government Relations, OJD
Trauma
  • Multnomah County Secondary Trauma Support Program for Grand Jurors
    • Matti Girardi, Trauma-Informed Equity & Inclusion Manager, Multnomah County District Attorney's Office
  • OJD Trauma Pilot with Vendor Canopy
    • Molly Harvis, Statewide Jury Coordinator, OJD
  • Recent Bill from California
    • Chair McCullough, Senior Counsel for Government Relations, OJD
  • Federal Courts and Mental Health
    • Chair McCullough, Senior Counsel for Government Relations, OJD
Where Are We Going From Here
  • Chair McCullough, Senior Counsel for Government Relations, OJD
Public Comment
Materials

Meeting Materials

Draft - Meeting Minutes (to be voted on at the 9/1/26 meeting)

Task Force on Removing Barriers to Jury Service

Date: August 12, 2026
Time: 11:30am-1:00pm
Location: Virtual Via WebEx Webinar
Members in Attendance: Derek Sangston, Chair Kimberly McCullough, Tim Dooley, Representative Tom Andersen, Royce Williams, Kia Tolbert, Nansi López, Honorable Tucker Rossetto, Honorable Chanpone Sinlapasai
Members Not in Attendance: Senator James Manning, Jr., Bryan Brock, Senator Kim Thatcher, Honorable Matthew Shirtcliff, Keren Farkas, Representative Wallan
Quorum: Yes (7)
Ratify Prior Meeting Minutes
  • Will wait until we have a quorum to vote on the minutes
Employment Related Issues
  • Chair McCullough shared the Oregon Revised Statutes and Oregon Administrative Rules from the meeting materials
  • ORS 10.090
    • It's unlawful for an employer to discharge, threaten to discharge, intimate, or coerce any employee by reason of the employee’s service or scheduled service as a juror on a grand jury, trial jury, or jury of inquest
      • Employers are required to allow employees to serve their jury duty, they can’t take any adverse employment action against them for participating
      • If an employer violates this, an employee can file a civil action (sue) or file a complaint with BOLI under ORS 659A.820
        • Representative Andersen asked if there’s an attorney’s fees provision if an employee sues or files a BOLI complaint? Can they receive attorney’s fees?
          • Chair McCullough replied that attorney fees are available if one files suit under ORS 659A.885(1)
    • Employees can’t be required to use sick leave, vacation leave, or annual leave when on jury duty, they have to be allowed to take leave without pay
      • Employees may be given the option to choose whether to use vacation leave, sick leave, or leave depending on the employer’s policies
    • An employer is not required to pay employees for their jury service, but they may choose to do so
    • Employees need to be informed of their statutory rights when they’re summoned
      • That information is generally included on the summons or linked to on the summons
  • ORS 10.092 (Insurance Coverage)
    • An employer with 10 or more employees commits an unlawful employment practice if:
      • The stops providing health, disability, life, or other insurance coverage for an employee while they’re doing jury service and the employee; and
      • The employee elected to have coverage continue while they served or were scheduled to serve as a juror and they gave notice of that election to their employer in compliance with the employer’s notification policy
    • Puts the responsibility on the employee to say that they want to have their insurance continued
      • It's unclear why the employee has to inform the employer that they want their insurance continued during jury service
      • What happens if an employer doesn’t have a policy about what the notification is?
    • An employer may have a policy that says you only get insurance if you work X number of hours in a month, a week, etc.
      • Seems like this protection is about jury duty causing the employee to fall under an hours requirement, so some additional money needs to be paid to keep the insurance going
        • If the employer paid any of that money to continue the insurance that should have been paid by the employee, the employer can deduct that amount (up to 10% of the employees gross pay per pay period) from the employee’s pay upon their return to work until it is paid
          • If the employee stopped working for the employer before the total amount had been repaid by the employee, then the employer can deduct it from any remaining amounts due to the employee or can seek to recover it through legal means
    • If an employee alleges a violation of this statute, they can bring a civil action or file a complaint with BOLI
    • Chair McCullough noted the task force should think about ways this statute could be improved
  • ORS 657.155 (Unemployment Insurance)
    • When someone is eligible for unemployment insurance and they serve on jury duty, they can’t be denied their insurance benefits as long as they do not miss an opportunity to perform work due to jury duty and actively seek work on the days they were not engaged in jury duty
    • If you’re on unemployment insurance, you don’t get time off for jury duty the way you do if you’re employed
      • Chair McCullough noted that the task force may want to discuss if this is a good policy
Overview of Barriers and Potential Policy Solutions
  • Illinois Law HB 4844 Re: Not Having to Work Night Shifts
    • If an employee works the night shift on the same day they have jury service, or are scheduled to work the night shift, they don’t have to work that night shift
      • Tolbert was concerned that, even if they weren’t required to work the night shift, people would still do it rather than miss an opportunity to work
        • Not sure the Illinois bill resolves the problem of employees working/serving on a jury all day since people still need to work to avoid financial hardship
        • Chair McCullough agreed with Tolbert that there’s still a financial/compensation issue but noted that the idea is that they are not required to work, not that they can’t choose to
    • Sangston noted that there are Oregon policies that prohibit employees in certain industries from working too many hours
      • If we have an employee that wants to go to work after jury duty, they should have that option
        • Oregon Business and Industries (OBI) would need to run that idea by their employment attorneys
          • Chair McCullough asked Sangston to check with OBI’s employment attorneys and asked if it’s better to say an “employee may, but is not required to, work the night shift”
        • Tolbert asked if that would present any safety issues (e.g., such as for truck drivers who’d be at jury service all day then driving all night)
          • Chair McCullough suggested a provision such as “as long as it doesn’t present safety issues or violate an employer’s policy”
            • Sometimes jury service only takes a small portion of the day, so an employee may be able to rest before working the night shift
            • Under current Oregon law, it seems an employer could require their employee to work the night shift because it wouldn’t conflict with the timing of jury duty during the day, and that may be something we want to prohibit
              • Sangston noted he wasn’t sure how frequently that scenario would happen and asked for Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) statistics on how often this scenario occurs
              • Chair McCullough asked Harvis to check how many people ask for excusals because they have to work the night shift
                • Harvis replied that we can only get anecdotal evidence since that’s not a statutory excusal
                • Harvis noted that for night shift employees the reason for excusal seems more about being late to or leaving early from to jury service rather than asking for a full excusal
  • Health Insurance Coverage Continuity 
    • Chair McCullough noted confusion around why those provisions would only apply to employers with 10 or more employees
      • She suggested the Task Force may want to consider reducing that threshold by saying “for all employers”
      • There's a financial concern component for the state since, when someone is injured without insurance, the cost often falls on the state
      • Chair McCullough suggested Sangston run the question by OBI to see why that threshold would be there
        • Sangston thought these provisions may have borrowed from the paid sick leave bill which applies to employers with 10 or more employees
          • He noted the smaller employers are the ones more likely to have the biggest problems with the extra burden
        • Sangston wanted to see statistics on how often this situation occurs
        • HB 2828 (2011) created the employment insurance provisions
          • At the time, there were stories of people losing insurance coverage because they were serving jury duty and people asking for excusal because they’d lose their coverage otherwise
            • Harvis will check to see if this is happening now and how often it comes up
        • Chair McCullough suggested an update so that the hours spent serving on jury duty must count towards the minimum number of hours employees need to work to receive coverage
    • Chair McCullough noted that it seems strange that jurors have to elect to keep insurance coverage and notify their employer of the election
      • It would make more sense for the employee to notify the employer that they’re serving on jury duty (which they’d likely be telling them anyways)
      • Seems like a strange burden to put on an employee to know they may lose coverage and to know to elect to continue it
        • Representative Andersen agreed and noted similar burdens on employees under ORS 10.090 and ORS 10.092
          • He asked if prospective jurors are given information on the rules they need to know to keep their insurance? What if they want to file a BOLI complaint or civil suit?
            • Chair McCullough does not think they are notified that they need to tell their employer to continue insurance
              • Representative Andersen noted the importance of employees knowing their rights
              • Chair McCullough suggested that if employees just needed to let their employer know they’re serving on jury duty without specifically electing to continue insurance coverage, then that would lower the burden on employees
    • Chair McCullough noted that there’s a provision that an employee is responsible for continuing the cost of insurance coverage
      • An employee needing to pay to continue their insurance coverage places a barrier on the employee, but shifting it to the employer may be burdensome for employers
        • Chair McCullough wondered how much it would cost to continue coverage when someone misses a day or two and they fall below the minimum hours worked threshold
      • Sangston asked for more information on how often this scenario comes up
        • He found it hard to imagine an employer, especially a small employer, would have HR go through the task of unenrolling someone from insurance for the generally short duration of jury service only to re-enroll them after (it’s an intensive process to unenroll and enroll)
        • Chair McCullough asked if there’s any harm in having employers simply automatically continue insurance coverage?
          • Sangston was unsure without looking at the data since there could be potential unintended consequences for employers, especially small employers
          • Chair McCullough asked if Sangston’s response would be different if it was found that there were people being adversely affected by the current rule?
            • Sangston replied it would make a difference, but he was not sure in what way
            • Chair McCullough noted that OJD would do some research and asked Sangston to do a surface level check to see if it would be a big shift for employers
              • Sangston speculated that reducing the burden of employees providing notice they want to continue coverage wouldn’t be too hard
    • López asked if there could be an opportunity for the task force to do more work with small businesses, particularly among underrepresented communities and in the current socioeconomic climate?
      • She asked if the task force could have a pool of folks to have a conversation with about specific questions and how changes could impact them?
        • Chair McCullough thought that’s a good idea and suggested the task force could put out a survey for people to fill out and we could look to López on who to give that to and how
          • A listening session where we schedule a date and time for folks to join in-person or remotely to share their thoughts and ideas could also be helpful
            • Task Force members could tune in and listen or be given a summary of what was discussed
  • Unemployment Insurance Provisions
    • If you’re on unemployment and there’s an opportunity to work you must or you don’t get insurance, but if you have a job your employer can’t discriminate against you if you want to do jury duty
      • Chair McCullough noted it seems there could be a scenario where someone loses their unemployment insurance because they chose to do jury duty instead of taking a job
        • Do they get unemployment insurance back after jury duty?
    • Chair McCullough asked what if it was changed to say that you can get unemployment insurance if you took one or more days to go to jury duty?
      • Would the juror fee need to be waived? Or no, since juror compensation is less than what an employer would pay?
      • Sangston didn’t think this was a question for OBI, but wanted to know what the unemployment department says about it
      • How many people on unemployment get called for jury duty and how would it change the calculus for what they are or aren’t paying out?
      • Chair McCullough noted that the next step is for the Task Force to consult with the unemployment department
  • Sample juror leave policies for employers are on California's Judicial Department website
    • López noted that information on OJD’s website is often only available in a few languages, and asked how it’s accessible to all community members?
      • She noted that for languages outside of the top 10 most common for Oregon, there should be an ability for people to reach out to someone within the department to get copies in other languages
      • Chair McCullough asked Harvis how much of our jury information is online in multiple languages?
        • Harvis replied that anything on the State of Oregon website should have a languages button at the top right to translate any of the pages into Chinese, English, Korean, Russian, Spanish, and Vitenamese, but for PDFs you would have to request them in the needed language
          • General brochures are translated, but OJD doesn’t have an employment protections one
            • The general juror brochure mostly mentions that employers can’t fire or threaten to fire you
              • Chair McCullough suggested looking at what’s currently in PDF on OJD’s website that’s not translated and seeing what we could improve there
    • Chair McCullough shared the sample California juror leave policy and procedures for employers that’s in the meeting materials
      • California doesn’t require employers to pay employees for jury service, but they’re trying to encourage it by including it in these sample leave policies
        • Provided with an excused absence and time off with regular day’s pay
        • Benefits will remain in effect, and they’ll accrue vacation and sick days
        • If they work evenings, arrangements can be made to facilitate
      • Chair McCullough asked what the Task Force members thought of the California sample policy? Is it something we should recommend that OJD or OJD/BOLI develop and make available to employers?
        • Tolbert said the idea makes sense, it takes away some of the responsibility of the employer having to come up with a policy, but we should agree on the details before deciding what we want to go with
          • Representative Andersen thought it’s a good idea and would like to see continued work on it
          • Sangston didn’t see an issue with it
  • Accruing Vacation and Sick Time While Serving on Jury Duty
    • Chair McCullough noted that we may want to consider a statutory requirement that those accruals continue while a person is performing jury service
      • Sangston would want to run it by OBI, but he said they probably wouldn’t like a blanket statement about accrual
        • There's a statewide sick leave policy that resets every year, so the smallest employers would have the hardest time keeping track of all the times for the different policies
        • Chair McCullough noted she could see overlapping regulation making it hard for employers to follow
        • Tolbert asked if whatever policy the state has for employers/employees while they’re at work should apply while they’re at jury duty?
          • Chair McCullough noted that could help simplify things but is not as familiar with those statutes and may want to do some additional research on them
Returned to Meeting Minutes
  • Chair McCullough noted that Royce Williams, Judge Sinlapsai, and Nansi López had joined the meeting since the roll call at the beginning of the meeting
  • Chair McCullough asked if anyone had any changes to the 7/14/26 minutes
    • There were none 
  • Chair McCullough asked if there were any objections to ratifying the 7/14/26 minutes
    • There were none 
  • Chair McCullough stated that the 7/14/26 minutes were ratified
Where Are We Going From Here
  • 9/1/26 Meeting - Trauma
    • Matti Girardi from the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office will talk about some work they’re doing there around secondary trauma support for grand jurors
      • Could help inform some recommendations the Task Force may want to make statewide
    • OJD has done a trauma pilot with the vendor Canopy
      • Free mental health resources and judicial training on vicarious trauma for jurors
      • Harvis will speak on that at the next meeting
    • AB 2357 (California Legislation) Mental Health Pilot Program
      • Chair McCullough will check where that bill is in the process
    • What the federal courts do related to mental health
    • Discuss options of what we may want to recommend for Oregon
  • 9/29/26 Meeting - Public Education
    • Look at Oregon’s juror orientation video and recommend updates
    • OJD did a public service campaign that was grant funded (one month)
    • Look into what some other states have done and see if there are some recommendations from there
Public Comment
  • Received a public comment through the online submission form that was about Oregon’s master jury list
    • Concern about people potentially showing up on that list if they are ineligible to serve and that may have some impact on how many folks are eligible to serve and how many people request excusals
    • Concern about some people ending up on juries that are not eligible to serve
    • Harvis noted OJD has not done a systematic evaluation on the source lists
      • NCSC has supported conducting those evaluations in other states
    • Harvis noted that the comment pointed specifically at non-US citizens, but the number of disqualifications we get for that is very small, but people can become citizens, so changes are possible
      • Once OJD gets source lists from the DMV, we have another list from the Oregon Health Authority that removes those who are deceased
        • OJD also utilizes the national change of address lists so we aren’t getting people who out of state, out of county, or have undeliverable addresses
  • Judge Sinlapasai noted that she used to be a federal immigration attorney and that she has defended people in federal immigration court after they were accidentally sent a jury summons and showed up to court because they were worried about what would happen if they did not show up and were then removed based on their green card status
    • There are federal repercussions for what we don’t do or could do to improve our juror lists
    • Even if the numbers are very small, the fear of repercussions or telling someone citizenship status is very high, because of that the numbers Harvis reported may actually be higher than the data shows
    • Judge Sinlapasai suggested partnering with Business Oregon to, in addition to listening sessions, doing a questionnaire for all businesses about how they have educated their employees about their rights or if they have comments to share with the Task Force on things we have not considered that impact businesses
      • Chair McCullough liked that idea and will do some outreach to Business Oregon
    • Chair McCullough asked if, beyond checking the source lists, if there is something we can do to prevent federal repercussions
      • Is there information we could provide that says if you are not a U.S. citizen you do not need to show up for jury service?
        • Judge Sinlapasai replied that, in Oregon, there’s a USCIS liaison we could reach out to and work with to get a master list of who they have to do a data comparison, then we can say we did a vetting of our list against their list for anyone who lives in Oregon
          • We could also reach out to NGOs and nonprofits for getting conversations out there to the most vulnerable users
    • Harvis clarified that OJD’s data only reflects those who respond to the summons and make an excusal request, we can’t know how many are erroneously receiving jury summonses if they don’t reply
      • Harvis cautioned that people can become a citizen, so we wouldn’t want to permanently exclude persons who may later become citizens
  • López noted that people have reached out to Centro Cultural before that have received a jury summons and didn’t know what to do with it
    • There is hesitation on who they can connect with to keep the information of said persons private, so it’s a barrier for the communities that get this information and don’t know how to navigate it
      • Public education and connecting with trusted organizations will be a big part of that work
    • Chair McCullough suggested brainstorming with Harivs steps that can be taken to address this and help provide support to the community
  • Sangston noted that, for the issue of employees losing insurance due to missing hours because of jury service, he has had some larger employers tell him they don’t bother unenrolling employees because the process is complicated; however, they would still be uneasy about unnecessarily adding a requirement on employers
  • López asked that when we’re bringing in people to talk about trauma/anxiety we should make sure they are also sharing information that’s reflective of communities of color and how they see trauma
    • This includes trauma not only as a juror, but as a victim and the treatment they receive from judges and jurors
      • It should be a holistic approach
    • Chair McCullough asked if anyone has suggestions on who to invite for presenting on these topics to let her know
      • The discussion on trauma/anxiety can be expanded to be over multiple meetings if needed
Next Meeting 
  • Date: September 1, 2026
  • Time: 11:30 a.m.-1:00p.m.
  • Via: Webex Webinar

Trauma-Informed Support for Grand Jury PowerPoint

Slide 1: Trauma-Informed Support Grand Jury
  • "The expectation that we can be immersed in suffering and loss daily and not be touched by it is as unrealistic as expecting to be able to walk through water without getting wet.” 
    • Rachel Naomi Remen, MD
Slide 2: Agenda
  • Introduction, Overview, & Objectives 3
  • Secondary Traumatic Stress for Grand Jurors 4
  • Trauma-Informed Interviewing of Victims 5
  • Trauma-Informed Deliberation 6
  • Closing and Resources 11
Slide 3: Matti Girardi
  • Wellbeing and Inclusion Manager
  • Certifications
    • Integrative Somatic Therapy
    • Restorative Justice
    • Social Justice Mediation
    • Masters in Education Curriculum & Training
    • Outstanding Graduate Award
Slide 4: Overview
  • This training aims to introduce an understanding of secondary trauma, particularly how it impacts individuals who are involved in the justice system as a juror or victim. 
  • It will focus on both your personal well-being as a grand juror and the responsibility of conducting sensitive interviews with victims.
  • By understanding trauma as a juror, you can foster an environment of fairness, empathy, and thorough decision-making.
Slide 5: Objectives
  • Provide support on how you can process your own responses to disturbing content or emotional testimony, emphasizing self-care.
  • Equip you with the knowledge and tools to engage with trauma survivors in a way that avoids re-traumatization.
  • Enhance your ability to assess victim testimony with sensitivity to how trauma can impact memory, behavior, and responses.
Slide 6: Secondary Trauma
  • Definitions, Signs, Symptoms, and Solutions
Slide 7: Defining Secondary Trauma
  • Secondary trauma is frequently referred to as vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, or secondary traumatic stress.
  • Definitions of secondary trauma vary, but most describe it as the impact of indirect exposure to traumatic events that can be disruptive and painful and can persist long after exposure.
  • Many develop cognitive, emotional, physical, and behavioral symptoms of trauma as a result of working with traumatic material.
  • Trauma triggers “fight, flight, freeze” responses, affecting memory, emotional regulation, and behavior.
  • A growing body of evidence suggests that secondary trauma is an inevitable occupational hazard for any professional working with survivors of trauma and violence.
  • Important: Secondary trauma is a healthy response to unhealthy situations involving violence and loss.
Slide 8: Signs and Symptoms
  • Preoccupation with victims' stories
  • Intrusive thoughts/nightmares/flashbacks
  • Feeling estranged/isolated/no one to talk to
  • Feeling trapped, "infected" by trauma, inadequate, depressed
  • Sleeplessness
  • Chronic exhaustion and/or physical ailments
  • Minimizing/numbness/indifference
  • Individuals affected by secondary trauma respond in various ways, but the common and often inevitable impact is a change in their worldview
Slide 9: The good news is, there are solutions
  • Individual resilience, well-developed coping strategies, and established support systems may contribute to you experiencing no or minimal impact from exposure to the jury-related trauma. 
  • More recent understanding of secondary resilience and compassion satisfaction refer to potentially positive effects of exposure to trauma. The positive effects include personal growth; increased belief in possibility of recovery; strengthened resilience; and increased commitment to the work of justice, fairness, and healing of victims and survivors.
Slide 10: The good news is, there are solutions
  • You can reduce the risk of negative effects from secondary trauma by:
    • Focusing on self-care
    • Learning coping strategies
    • Asking for help and access support in jury-based peer groups
    • Seeking professional support
    • Recognizing positive aspects of working with victims of trauma
Slide 11: Juror Care Plan
  • How you can manage your emotional responses and support your fellow jurors in a trauma-sensitive way
Slide 12: Trauma-Informed Interviewing and Deliberation
Slide 13: Interviewing Victims with Sensitivity
  • Create a safe environment where victims control the pace of testimony.
  • Use non-directive questions: “Can you tell me more about what happened?” instead of leading questions.
  • Recognize signs of distress and allow breaks if needed.
  • Be patient with fragmented or delayed memories.
  • Grand jurors should approach testimony with patience, understanding, and non-judgmental care.
Slide 14: Evaluating Testimony
  • Support each other: ensuring empathy and respect are maintained for one another.
  • Decision-Fatigue: Take breaks- over the next month, simplify and automate the decisions in your life if you can.
Slide 15: Key takeaways
  • Self-care is crucial to reduce secondary traumatic stress
  • Grand jurors should approach testimony with patience, understanding, and non-judgmental care.
  • Jurors are encouraged to access ongoing trauma-informed training, MCDA support, and resources for emotional well-being.
Slide 16: MCDA Resources
  • Alt. Text: Table listing the names of resources with columns listing the what, when, and who for each resource
    • Introductory Training
      • Slide show
      • After first case
      • Matti Girardi
    • Self-Care Plan and Somatic Practices
      • Handouts
      • During introductory training
      • Matti Girardi
    • Group Support Session(s) 
      • Facilitated Sessions 
      • TBD
      • Matti Girardi
    • Individual Support
      • 1:1 Private Session
      • TBD
      • Matti Girardi
    • Have more questions or need more information?
      • Email or Phone
      • Anytime
      • Matti Girardi
Slide 17: Matti Girardi
  • 971-806-1236
  • matti.girardi@mcda.us

Trauma-Informed Juror Support PowerPoint

Slide 1: What Happens to Jurors After the Trial Ends?
  • A trauma-informed approach to juror participation, wellbeing, and civic service
  • Matti Girardi
    • Trauma-Informed Equity & Inclusion Director
    • Multnomah County District Attorney's Office
  • Jury Task Force
Slide 2: The Human Experience 
  • The juror we don't always see
  • Imagine being summoned for jury duty.
    • You arrange childcare. You take time off work. You show up expecting to do your civic duty.
    • Then you are selected for a case involving the death of a child.
    • You spend weeks hearing graphic testimony, seeing disturbing evidence, and listening to a family describe the worst thing that has happened to them.
    • The trial ends. You are thanked for your service. You go home.
    • What happens next?
Slide 3: The Core Idea
  • Juror participation isn't only about getting people into the courthouse.
  • It is also about creating conditions that allow people to complete their service without being harmed by it.
  • Prepare: Set expectations
  • Equip: Give practical tools
  • Connect: Stay present
  • Support: Respond when needed
Slide 4: A Simple Framework
  • What is secondary trauma?
    • Indirect exposure to traumatic events can be disruptive and painful—and may persist after exposure.
      • Mind: 
        • Intrusive thoughts
        • Preoccupation
        • Changes in worldview
      • Body: 
        • Sleep disruption
        • Exhaustion
        • Physical stress
      • Behavior/Emotion: 
        • Numbness or indifference
        • Isolation
        • Feeling trapped or overwhelmed
    • A difficult reaction is not necessarily a sign that something is wrong with the juror.
Slide 5: The Multnomah County District Attorney Model
  • What support actually looks like
    • 01: Awareness
      • Orientation flyer
      • This may affect you.
    • 02: Education 
      • Trauma-informed training
      • Here's why - and what you might experience.
    • 03: Tools
      • Self-care plan
      • somatic practices
      • fidgets
      • Here's something you can use.
    • 04: Connection
      • Weekly check-ins
      • You don't have to navigate it alone.
    • 05: Support
      • Small-group grounding 
      • 1:1
      • We're here if you need more.
  • Support is layered. No single resource has to do all the work.
Slide 6: Concrete, Discreet, Practical
  • Give jurors something they can use
    • Alt. Text: Screenshot of Juror Self-Care Worksheet
      • Self-Care Plan
      • Identify what helps, who to contact, and what to do when things get tough.
    • Alt. Text: Screenshot of List of Somatic Practices
      • Somatic Practices
      • Breathing
      • grounding
      • orienting
      • movement
      • sensory strategies
    • Discreet Fidgets
      • A small, private regulation too.
      • Something to hold while staying present.
Slide 7: Relationship Matters
  • Support doesn't end when training ends
  • The intervention isn't only the training.
  • It is also the ongoing relationship.
  • Weekly: Check in with jurors
  • As Needed: Small-group grounding/support
  • Private: 1:1 support when requested
  • Always: Available for questions or additional support
  • The goal is not to tell jurors how they should feel. It is to give them options, connection, and support.
Slide 8: Shift from "Program" to "Mission" 
  • The hidden barrier to participation
  • We often think about barriers before jury service.
    • Work
    • Childcare
    • Transportation
    • Financial hardship
    • Language
    • Trust
  • But what happens when someone does everything right - and the experience itself becomes the barrier? 
Slide 9: Questions the System Can Ask
  • Three opportunities for Oregon
    • 1: Prepare
      • Normalize the possibility of emotional impact before jurors encounter it.
    • 2: Build in Support
      • Make practical, trauma-informed support part of the jury process - not something a juror must discover on their own.
    • 3: Follow Through
      • Consider what support looks like after service, when the obligation may end but the experience may not. 
    • This does not require every county to replicate one model. 
Slide 10: The Question I'd Leave You With
  • If jury service is a civic responsibility, what responsibility does the system have to the people who perform it?
  • Matti Girardi
  • Questions - Discussion 
  • Thank you

Juror Self-Care Worksheet

Juror Self-Care Worksheet
  • Why do I need to do this? It is very hard to think of what to do for yourself when things get tough. It is best to have a plan ready for when you need it.
  • What should be in it? You need to consider 3 general areas: what to do, what to think, and what to avoid.
    • 1. Make a list of what you can do when you are upset that will be good for you.
      • a. What will help me relax?
        • For example,
          • Breathing, Muscle relaxation, Music
          • Reading for fun, watching a movie
          • Exercising, Taking a walk
    • b. What do I like to do when I’m in a good mood?_______________________________________________________ List all the things you like to do so you remember what they are when you need to think of something to do.________________________________________________________
    • c. What can I do that will help me throughout the day? __________________________________________________________________________
      • For example,
        • Avoid too much caffeine if feeling anxious
        • Remember to breathe
        • Watch my thoughts
        • Stay in the moment
    • d. Other: What else do YOU need to do that is specific to YOU? ____________________________________________________________________
    • 2. Make a list of people you can contact if you need support or distraction. For example, your best friend, other friends, sibling, parent, grandparent, other relative, therapist, priest/minister/rabbi/imam, etc.
      • a. Divide the list of people into categories by asking yourself the following questions
        • Who can I call if I am feeling depressed or anxious? Who can I call if I feel isolated?
          • Who will come over to be with me if I need company?
          • Who will listen?
          • Who will encourage me to get out of the house and do something fun?
          • Who will remind me to follow my self-care plan?
          • Other: 
          • Notes: _______________________________________________________________________

List of Somatic Practices

List of Somatic Practices
  • Here's a list of somatic practices that can help when feeling emotionally overwhelmed or distressed. They are simple, accessible, and can be done in almost any environment
    • 1. Breathing Techniques
      • Deep Belly Breathing: Inhale deeply into the belly, then exhale slowly. Focus on the sensation of the breath moving in and out.
      • Box Breathing: Inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4. Repeat.
    • 2. Grounding 
      • Feet on the Floor: Press your feet into the ground and feel the solid surface beneath you, reminding yourself that you are supported.
      • Weight Shifting: Gently shift your weight from one foot to the other to reconnect with the present moment.
    • 3. Orienting 
      • Notice Your Surroundings: Shift your focus to objects around you—describe them silently or aloud (e.g., "I see a blue pen," "I feel the fabric of my chair").
      • Look Around: Scan your environment slowly, noting shapes, colors, and textures. This helps bring focus back to the present.
    • 4. Sensory Channel Switching
      • Touch: Feel an object in your environment, like the texture of your clothing, a pen, or a cushion, and focus on the sensation.
      • Sound: Focus on one sound around you (e.g., birds, traffic, a fan) and listen closely for as long as you can.
    • 5. Movement Practices
      • Wiggle Fingers and Toes: Move your fingers and toes in any direction. This helps to reconnect you with your body and release tension.
      • Gentle Stretching: Stretch your arms, neck, or back slowly, focusing on how the muscles feel as they lengthen.
      • Small Tapping: Gently tap your body, such as on your arms or legs, to stimulate a calming response.
    • 6. Body Scanning 
      • Scan from Head to Toe: Start at the top of your head and bring awareness down through your body, checking for any areas of tension or discomfort. Breathe into these areas to release them.
    • 7. Containment Practice
      • Imaginary Container: Imagine a container (like a box or jar) that can hold your overwhelming emotions, and picture placing those emotions inside it for safekeeping.
      • Create Boundaries: Visualize a safe space around you, where you are protected and feel at ease, as if you have an invisible boundary.
    • 8. Self-Holding 
      • Gentle Self-Hug: Wrap your arms around yourself, offering comfort and warmth. Squeeze gently and breathe deeply.
      • Hand on Heart: Place one hand on your heart and the other on your belly. Feel the rise and fall of your breath as a reminder of your body’s calm rhythm.
    • 9. Temperature Change 
      • Cold Water: Splash your face with cold water or hold an ice cube in your hand to help reset your nervous system.
      • Warmth: Wrap yourself in a blanket, hold a warm mug of tea, or sit in the sun to bring a sense of safety.
    • 10. Imagery and Visualization
      • Safe Place Visualization: Picture a place where you feel completely safe and at ease, allowing your body to relax into that imagery.
      • Grounding Visualization: Visualize roots growing from your feet deep into the earth, anchoring you and offering support.
    • 11. Body Movements and Posture
      • Shake It Out: Gently shake your hands, feet, or whole body to release tension and reset your energy.
      • Posture Adjustment: Stand or sit tall, rolling your shoulders back and down, and lifting your chest slightly. This opens up the chest and signals calmness.
    • 12. Mindful Sipping 
      • Take a slow sip of water or tea, focusing fully on the sensation of the liquid as it moves through your mouth and down your throat.
    • 13. Self-Compassionate Words
      • Place your hand on your heart and gently say kind things to yourself, like “I am safe,” or “This too shall pass.”
    • 14. Sound-Based Practices 
      • Humming or Chanting: Softly hum or chant a sound, focusing on the vibration it creates in your body.
      • Singing: If it feels right, sing softly to yourself. It can help calm the nervous system and redirect focus.
  • These practices are meant to bring you back to your body and the present moment, which can create space to process overwhelming emotions.
  • Contact Info:
    • matti.girardi@mcda.us
    • Phone: (971) 806-1236

Grand Juror Self-Care Flyer

Grand Juror Self-Care
A brief guide for your well-being
  • Alt. Text: District Attorney Multnomah County Logo
  • Please scan this QR code to access this short pre-service survey to further understand your experience and guide future programs. 
  • Alt. Text: QR Code (link to a static copy of the pre-service survey on this page)
  • Serving on a grand jury is important work. Some material you may review can be difficult or disturbing. This guide is here to remind you that your well-being matters—from day one.
What you might notice
  • Everyone responds differently. There is no “right” reaction.
  • You may experience:
    • Feeling emotionally drained or unsettled
    • Trouble sleeping or concentrating
    • Strong reactions to certain images or details
    • Wanting extra quiet or personal space
  • These responses are normal and human.
Simple Ways to Take Care of Yourself
  • You don't need to do everything - just start small.
During the Day
  • Take slow, steady breaths when things feel intense
  • Drink water and eat regularly
After Court
  • Give yourself time to decompress before jumping into other responsibilities
  • Do something grounding (a walk, shower, music, time with pets)
  • Limit additional stressful or graphic media
Caring for Your Emotional Capacity
  • Notice your internal reactions without judging them
  • Remind yourself that strong responses are a normal part of this work
Support Is Available
  • You are not expected to manage this alone.
  • In-house support is available to grand jurors during service.
  • You will receive more information soon, including a brief training and how to access support at any point.
  • For wellness support during grand jury service:
  • Matti.Girardi@mcda.us

Grand Juror Self-Care Flyer Survey

Grand Jury Survey: Pre-Service

MCDA is conducting this survey to further understand and evaluate the experiences of Grand Jury members. Your responses will help guide future program objectives and assess the effectiveness of our Grand Jury preparation materials. Participation is completely voluntary; you may stop the survey at any time or leave questions blank. All responses will remain anonymous and be used only for research purposes. If you have any questions, please contact researchunit@mcda.us

Please do not include any case details or identifying information in any of your responses.

When you submit this form, it will not automatically collect your details like name and email address unless you provide it yourself. 

Preliminary Questions 
  • 1. Which of the following age categories do you fall into?
    • 21-29
    • 30-39
    • 40-49
    • 50-59
    • 60-69
    • 70 or older
    • Prefer not to say
  • 2. How do you identify your race or ethnicity? (Please select all that apply)
    • African 
    • American Indian or Alaska Native
    • Asian
    • Black or African American
    • Latino or Hispanic
    • Middle Eastern
    • Multiracial
    • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
    • Slavic
    • White
    • Don't know
    • Prefer not to say
    • Other (textbox to enter answer)
  • 3. How do you describe your gender identity?
    • Agender or No Gender
    • Female or Woman
    • Gender Expansive
    • Male or Man
    • Non-Binary
    • Questioning or Don't Know
    • Transgender Female
    • Transgender Male
    • Two Spirit or Indigiqueer
    • Prefer Not to Say
    • Other (textbox to enter answer)
  • 4. In order to link your pre and post Jury Service responses, please create a unique identifier by combining: 
    • (1) the first three letters of the name of the elementary school you attended
    • (2) the last two digits of the address number you grew up on
    • (3) the first letter of your mother's maiden name
    • Example: Juror Z attended Abbott Elementary school, grew up at 308 Negra Aroyyo Lane, and their mother's maiden name is Simpson. Juror Z would enter the unique identifier 'ABB08S'. In the event of any missing or short characters, please fill the leading space with 0 or A. You will be asked to provide this code again in the post-service survey so please pay attention to detail. 
    • Textbox to enter answer.
Grand Jury Sentiment

Please mark the extent to which you agree with the following statements from 'Strongly Agree' to 'Strongly Disagree'.

  • 5. I feel ready to contribute to the Grand Jury process. 
    • Strongly agree
    • Agree
    • Neither agree nor disagree
    • Disagree
    • Strongly disagree
  • 6. Serving on the Grand Jury feels like an important civic responsibility
    • Strongly agree
    • Agree
    • Neither agree nor disagree
    • Disagree
    • Strongly disagree
  • 7. I feel like I will make a meaningful contribution to my community during my service. 
    • Strongly agree
    • Agree
    • Neither agree nor disagree
    • Disagree
    • Strongly disagree
  • 8. I have trust in the justice system process as I begin this service.
    • Strongly agree
    • Agree
    • Neither agree nor disagree
    • Disagree
    • Strongly disagree
Emotional Preparedness

Please mark the extent to which you agree with the following statements from 'Strongly Agree' to 'Strongly Disagree'.

  • 9. I am familiar with the concept of secondary traumatic stress or vicarious trauma.
    • Strongly agree
    • Agree
    • Neither agree nor disagree
    • Disagree
    • Strongly disagree
  • 10. I understand that stress reactions may be an occupational hazard from exposure to traumatic material.
    • Strongly agree
    • Agree
    • Neither agree nor disagree
    • Disagree
    • Strongly disagree
  • 11. I can identify common signs or symptoms of stress in myself. 
    • Strongly agree
    • Agree 
    • Neither agree nor disagree 
    • Disagree
    • Strongly disagree
  • 12. I feel prepared to encounter potentially distressing or graphic material during service.
    • Strongly agree
    • Agree
    • Neither agree nor disagree
    • Disagree
    • Strongly disagree
Tools and Support Systems

Please mark the extent to which you agree with the following statements from 'Strongly Agree' to 'Strongly Disagree'.

  • 13. I have ways of coping during stressful moments.
    • Strongly agree
    • Agree
    • Neither agree nor disagree
    • Disagree
    • Strongly disagree
  • 14. I have a plan for what to do if I begin to feel stressed during Grand Jury service.
    • Strongly agree
    • Agree
    • Neither agree nor disagree
    • Disagree
    • Strongly disagree
  • 15. I am familiar with somatic practices to help regulate stress. Ex. body-based practices such as breathing techniques, grounding, etc.
    • Strongly agree
    • Agree
    • Neither agree nor disagree
    • Disagree
    • Strongly disagree
  • 16. I know how to access support resources during my service.
    • Strongly agree
    • Agree
    • Neither agree nor disagree
    • Disagree
    • Strongly disagree
  • 17. I feel confident that staff will be available to support me if I need assistance during my Grand Jury experience.
    • Strongly agree
    • Agree
    • Neither agree nor disagree
    • Disagree
    • Strongly disagree
  • 18. I feel confident that my peers on the Grand Jury would be supportive if difficult material arises. 
    • Strongly agree
    • Agree
    • Neither agree nor disagree
    • Disagree 
    • Strongly disagree
  • 19. I feel like I have enough support as I begin this service.
    • Strongly agree
    • Agree
    • Neither agree nor disagree
    • Disagree
    • Strongly disagree

After Jury Duty Canopy Brochure

Outside of Brochure
State of Oregon Support After Jury Service
  • Confidential, no-cost emotional support for jurors after court service
Your wellbeing matters.
  • Jury service can involve exposure to difficult stories, images, or decisions. People respond in different ways -- sometimes during service, sometimes days or weeks later.
  • There is no "right" way to feel after jury duty. If something stays with you, support is available. 
Your voice matters.
Free Confidential Support for Jurors
  • For up to three months after jury service, jurors may access free, confidential support through Canopy.
  • There is no charge to jurors for any of the services described in this brochure.
  • Canopy is an independent counseling service, separate from the courts and the judicial process. Information shared with Canopy is private and not reported to the court. 
  • Using this support is completely voluntary.
Inside of Brochure
Services Available at No Cost
  • 24/7 Phone Consultation:
    • Speak directly with a mental health professional
    • Available any time, day or night
    • Up to one hour per call
  • Short-Term Counseling
    • Referral to a counselor if additional support feels helpful
    • Up to three counseling visits 
    • In-person or virtual options
When to Reach Out
  • You do not need to be in crisis to call. 
  • Jurors often reach out when experiencing: 
    • Stress, worry, or emotional heaviness that lingers
    • Trouble sleeping, focusing, or relaxing
    • Reactions connected to testimony or case materials
    • A desire to talk with a neutral, professional counselor
Free Confidential Support for Jurors
  • For up to three months after jury service, jurors may access free, confidential support through Canopy. 
  • There is no charge to jurors for any of the services described in this brochure.
  • Canopy is an independent counseling service, separate from the courts and the judicial process. Information shared with Canopy is private and not reported to the court. 
  • Using this support is completely voluntary.
Canopy: a revive company
Canopy Is an independent, confidential counseling service support State of Oregon jurors 
  • Call anytime, Identify yourself as an Oregon Juror: 800-433-2320

After Jury Duty Canopy Wallet Card

Front of Card
Support After Jury Service
  • Free
  • Confidential
  • Voluntary
Back of Card
1:1 Counseling with a professional
  • Up to 1 hour phone support and 3 counseling visits
  • Available up to 3 months after service
  • Call 24/7 - Identify yourself as an Oregon Juror: 800-433-2320
  • Canopy a revive company
Your voice matters.

Canopy Brochure and Wallet Card Survey

After Jury Service Survey

Thank you for serving on jury duty. We know it can be a disruption to your normal routine, and your time and dedication do not go unrecognized. 

By serving, you helped make sure trials are fair and justice is done for everyone in our communities. You should feel proud of the important role you played. 

This survey will be asking about some of your experiences as a juror. Your feedback is essential to inform and improve the overall juror experience. 

Your responses are confidential, anonymous, and voluntary.

This survey will have no effect on the trial you were a juror for or any current or future participation in jury service in any way.

This survey should take you about 5 minutes.

1. What county did you serve as a juror? (required)

  • Drop-down list of Oregon counties. 

2. How many days did you serve as a juror on a case? (required)

  • 1-2 days
  • 3-5 days
  • 6-10 days
  • More than 10 days

3. Was this your first time serving as a juror in Oregon? (required)

  • Yes 
  • No
As a reminder, your answers are anonymous, confidential, and voluntary.

4. Did the trial involve any of the following? (select all that apply)

  • Violent crimes(s)
  • Graphic or explicit evidence (ex. photos, videos, testimony, etc.)
  • Crime(s) involving children 
  • Crime(s) involving sexual abuse
  • Crime(s) involving animals
  • Domestic violence
  • None of the above

5. Thinking about your time spent as a juror, how often did you experience the following? Response options include Never, Several days, More than half of the days, or Nearly every day. (required)

  • Feeling nervous, anxious, or on edge
  • Difficulty with concentration or memory
  • Heaviness in shoulders, gut, or chest
  • Not being able to stop or control worrying
  • Feeling down, depressed or hopeless
  • Feeling numb, desensitized, or disconnected
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Feeling overwhelmed with the seriousness of having to reach a verdict

6. Since your jury service has ended, how often have you experienced the following? Response options include, Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Often, or All the time. (required)

  • Feeling nervous, anxious, or on edge
  • Difficulty with concentration or memory
  • Heaviness in shoulders, gut, or chest
  • Not being able to stop or control worrying
  • Feeling down, depressed, or hopeless
  • Feeling numb, desensitized, or disconnected
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Replaying what you saw, heard, or experienced during the trial
  • Feelings of anger or pain for those involved in the trial
  • Lingering feelings about the verdict

7. Were you offered information about mental health resources available to jurors? (required)

  • Yes
  • No

8. Do you have any questions, comments or concerns regarding your experience as a juror?

  • Open-ended text box for providing a response. 

Your responses have been recorded.

Thank you for your time and for sharing your experience and perspective. 

JSS Pilot - Post-Trial Model Script

Juror Support Services (JSS) Pilot Program Post-Trial Model Script

Note: The Juror Support Services (JSS) Pilot Program provides free mental health resources to jurors who serve on felony trials or on trials that include at least one misdemeanor domestic violence charge. These resources are intended to be offered after the conclusion of the trial. Please tailor the script to fit the specific circumstances and sensitivities of each case.

Members of the jury:

Now that the trial has concluded, I want to (again) thank you for your time and effort. We recognize that jury service can be an inconvenience to your work, your family, and daily life. Your dedicated and careful attention has been deeply appreciated. By serving, you have helped ensure fair trials in Oregon and have made a real and meaningful impact on your community.

The Oregon Judicial Department is offering a new pilot program for jurors serving certain misdemeanors and felony trials. This program provides free, confidential, and voluntary counseling with a professional, third-party provider. If you choose to use this service, it will have no impact on this trial. This court and the parties will not be told whether you use the service. Anything you say to a provider will remain confidential and will not be shared with the court or anyone involved in this case.

Research has shown that serving on a jury - especially in certain types of cases - can weigh heavily on some jurors. Listening to difficult evidence and making serious decisions can sometimes stay with people even after the trial ends. We recognize that jury service can affect people in different ways. The resource is simply available if you would find it helpful. Some people prefer to talk about their experience with a trained professional. Others may just want a chance to ask questions about common reactions to what they saw or heard during trial and get practical tools for moving forward.

The court has provided you with pamphlets and wallet cards with information about how to access these services through the established provider Canopy. These resources will be available to you for up to three months from today. Whether you use it or not is entirely your choice and it is offered to make sure that support is available, and that cost is not a barrier.

There is also a QR code and link listed on the materials that directs you to a short survey about your experience as a juror. Even if you do not utilize the resources, please do consider filling out the survey and sharing your thoughts. Your responses are completely anonymous and will only ever be used to inform and improve juror access and experience. On behalf of the court, please know that your service matters, your effort is respected, and your contribution to justice in this community has made a lasting impact.

Overview of Barriers and Potential Policy Solutions

Barriers to Jury Service and Policy Options

For September 1, 2026, Meeting

Barriers
  • Financial burden and low compensation
  • Transportation and parking
  • Employment and educational responsibilities
  • Loss of insurance coverage
  • Unemployment rules
  • Caregiving costs and responsibilities (children and other dependents)
  • Health issues
  • Accessibility (physical, language, etc.)
  • Trauma and anxiety triggered by the facts of the case and/or case type
  • Juror privacy and safety
  • Longer terms of service/multi-day trials
  • Lack of inclusion in jury source lists (particularly for unhoused individuals)
  • Lack of understanding and public education about:
    • The rights, roles, and expectations for jurors
    • The importance of jury service
  • Negative court and jury experiences
    • Long wait times at the court when called in for service
    • Other negative experiences
  • Psychological/behavioral barriers 
    • Limited bandwidth 
    • Lack of certainty about process and length of service
    • Fear/distrust of the court system
    • Forgetting 
  • Peremptory challenges & discrimination
  • Criminal convictions
  • Statutory eligibility (conviction eligibility, citizenship, age, etc.)  and excusal/deferral criteria
Policy Options
  • Compensation
    • Increase rate of compensation per day paid by the State and/or cities/counties:
      • Flat rate for all days of service
      • Graduated rate that increases after 2 days of service
      • Increased rate for lengthy trials (after X days of service)
      • Increased rate for grand jury service
      • Provide for ongoing increases based on Consumer Price Index, local income rates, or some other metric
    • Tier juror compensation based on income
    • Employer pays regular rate of pay for days serving jury duty
      • Could be made applicable only to employers of X or more employees
    • Tax credit for employers who pay employees while they attend jury service
    • Cost-sharing models 
      • Require parties in civil cases to contribute toward the cost of paying juror fees
      • Add a fee to attorney bar dues to help pay juror fees
      • Employer pays a portion of juror fees and state pays a portion
    • Increase filing fees to raise funds for juror compensation
    • Increase mileage reimbursement to federal/DAS rate
    • Reimburse jurors for parking expenses unless free parking is provided by the court
    • Create a stipend for child/dependent care expenses
    • Make improvements to the extraordinary expenses program to make it more accessible
      • Provide more information to jurors about the existence of the program
      • Create clearer guidelines for what is reimbursable through the program (e.g., dependent care, lodging for jurors when travel is long/difficult/unsafe)
      • Simplify the procedures for obtaining funds through the program
    • Consider special circumstance funds, like a Lengthy Trial Fund
    • Improve payment methods so jurors receive compensation faster
    • Implement a pilot program in X counties to study the impact of increased compensation on response and excusal rates
    • Data collection and analysis requirement tied to any increase in compensation to study how much of an impact it has on response and excusal rates
  • Transportation 
    • Provide a court shuttle:
      • In counties that don’t have adequate public transportation
      • For jurors with physical disabilities that make travel difficult
    • Agreements between courts and public transport services to allow jurors to use their summons as a bus pass
    • Agreements between courts and businesses for using parking lots that are closer to the court and/or to use summons as a parking pass
    • Consider staggered reporting times or delayed starts for families with limited transportation or children in school (i.e. single car family, school drop off and pick up)
  • Public education 
    • Advertisements/public service announcements (print, radio, TV)
    • Short educational videos and other online collateral to be used on OJD’s website, partner websites, social media
    • Provide educational materials (posters, pamphlets, videos, lesson plans) to schools and educators
      • High school, college, educational associations
    • Topics for all of the above
      • Importance of jury service
      • Likelihood of short length of service
      • What to expect when serving on a jury 
    • Mock jury trial programs, particularly for youth
    • Ensure online information linked to on summons includes a typical agenda (run of the day) so jurors know what to expect
    • Collaborate with BOLI on education for employers/employees
    • Revamp juror orientation video (last updated in 2018)
    • Judges in the classroom; increase courthouse tours/experiences and jury simulations
    • Community outreach – bring court professionals to community areas (i.e. elder care facilities to speak on juror scams, community centers to speak about civic education, library or public spaces for open dialogues)
  • Employment protections
    • Add provision to employment protections that states that employees are not required to work night shift on the same day they have jury service (from Illinois law)
    • Strengthen protections related to health insurance coverage continuity during jury service:
      • Update: "relate" was changed to "related" in the immediately preceding bullet point
      • Reduce or eliminate the threshold number of employees before the protections kick in
      • Make it clear that hours spent serving on jury duty must count toward any minimum number of hours people have to work to get health insurance coverage during the time period that includes jury service
      • Remove the requirement that jurors “elect” to keep insurance coverage and notify their employer of the election in compliance with the employer’s policy, replacing it with a requirement that the employee simply notify the employer that they have been called for jury service
      • Explore whether a change is needed to the provisions that allow an employer to recover the cost of insurance “that should have been paid by the employee.”
    • Allow a person to obtain unemployment insurance during jury duty, even if they miss an opportunity to perform suitable work
      • Require waiver of juror fee if a person obtains unemployment insurance or allow a person to obtain both
    • Create sample juror leave policies for employers
      • Put them on the Oregon Judicial Department’s website and/or BOLI’s jury information website
  • Trauma/Anxiety 
    • Provide online juror qualification questionnaires in advance of going to court to determine if a particular case or case type may be triggering or traumatic for a given potential juror
    • Protect jurors’ rights during jury selection and offer questioning alternatives for privacy/safety
    • For grand jurors and jurors in cases (civil and criminal) involving violence and sexual assault:
      • Provide resource lists
      • Provide post-venire and pre-trial training for jurors on self-care, secondary trauma and/or trauma-informed deliberation
      • Provide post-trial debrief
      • Provide access to post-jury duty counseling and/or facilitated group sessions
    • Training for judges and/or attorneys on trauma-informed trial practices
  • Accessibility 
    • Provide language translation for people who don’t speak English as a first language and enact a statute similar to ORS 10.115 (interpreters for individuals with disabilities) that would allow language interpreters to be present for jury deliberations
  • Logistical changes 
    • Reduce time people spend waiting
    • Stagger juror panel sign-ins to avoid long security/check-in lines
    • Utilize technology to keep people from lengthy wait periods
    • Provide an option to let the court know if you can only attend a one-day trial
    • Implement new Uniform Trial Court Rules so the court knows further in advance which cases will need jurors
    • Work towards the goal of one-day/one trial across counties – reduce separate orientation days
    • Remote juror orientation, questionnaires and/or jury selection
    • Increase trial certainty and set stronger restrictions for Call Hearings.
  • Miscellaneous 
    • Change “master jury list” to “primary jury list” or something similar
    • Collect post-jury duty feedback to identify additional areas that may be improved
    • Use additional source lists (e.g., to try to include people who are unhoused)
    • Conduct a source list evaluation to review for accuracy and validity and identify need or potential of other source lists
    • Conduct a review of the USPS mailing accuracy and validity, including the rates of Oregonians utilizing the National Change of Address program  (related to undeliverable rates)
    • Reduce or eliminate peremptory challenges
    • Special considerations for trials (trials with people in custody, self-represented/pro se litigants. Lengthy or high-profile trials)
    • Educate communities on jury scams, ensure protections to jurors whenever possible

Public Comment 

Public Comment Submitted Via Task Force on Removing Barriers to Jury Service Online Contact Form

Public Comment Submitted August 13, 2026, by Ivar Anderson

"Published orientation policy does not match actual requirement — Wasco County Summary This comment does not address juror compensation rates, which the task force has considered at length. It raises a narrower and, I believe, less-examined problem that falls within the task force's charge to identify other obstacles to jury service: In at least one circuit, the orientation requirement stated on the Oregon Judicial Department's own juror information page does not match the requirement the court actually imposes. A juror who relies on the state's published information will be wrong about what is required of them — and the requirement actually imposed is a potentially uncompensated appearance scheduled before the term of service begins. I ask the task force to determine how widespread this is, and to recommend that published juror information be accurate and that compelled appearances fall inside the compensated, protected term. 1. The divergence Wasco County Circuit Court's Juror Resources page, hosted on the Oregon Judicial Department website, states that the Juror Orientation and Implicit Bias videos are to be watched before reporting for jury duty. The videos are embedded on the page for remote viewing. The page describes no in-person orientation session. It states that on the first day of the jury term, a juror will either be selected for a panel or excused. I nonetheless received written notice from Wasco County Circuit Court requiring in-person attendance at orientation on a date well before my first reporting day. I quote from the email received 13 August: "Thank you for responding to your jury summons for the October, November, and December 2026 term. We will be holding Petit Jury Orientation on Friday, August 28, 2026 in Courtroom 301, which is located on the third floor. Jurors must check-in by 8:30 AM. Orientation should take no more than an hour and upon completion jurors will be released for the day." 2. Why the divergence matters independently of the underlying policy Whatever the merits of in-person orientation, a juror cannot comply with a requirement the state conceals and cannot plan around one the state misstates. The OJD juror pages are not incidental. They are where the summons process directs people, where deferral and excusal instructions live, and where a summoned juror goes to work out what jury service will cost them — whether they need childcare, whether they must arrange coverage at work, how many days to warn an employer about. A page that describes orientation as two videos watched at home, when the actual requirement is a weekday morning at the courthouse, causes a juror to plan for the wrong obligation and to discover the error late. That is a barrier to service in the most direct sense: some proportion of jurors who would have complied will fail to appear, appear unprepared, or seek excusal, because the information the state gave them was wrong. I do not know whether this is a Wasco-specific lapse, a stale page, or a pattern across circuits. Determining which is a task well suited to the task force, and not one an individual juror can perform. 3. The appearance falls outside the compensated and protected term The orientation date precedes the first reporting day. Two consequences follow, both of which the task force is positioned to address. Compensation. Per diem and mileage under ORS 10.061 and ORS 10.065 attach to required attendance during service. An appearance scheduled before the term begins appears to fall outside that. Because most summoned jurors are never seated, this places a fixed uncompensated cost — a weekday morning plus round-trip travel — on a population whose expected service is frequently zero. This is where the rate question intersects, and I raise it only to that extent: at $10 per day and 20 cents per mile — the mileage figure fixed by statute and unamended since 2002 — even reclassifying orientation as compensated service would not make a juror whole for the morning. The classification and the rate are separate defects, and fixing only the first accomplishes little. Employment protection. ORS 10.090 and ORS 10.092 are framed around jury service. Where a court itself treats orientation as preceding the term of service, it is not obvious those protections reach an absence taken to attend it. That would leave a juror compelled to miss work without the protection that ordinarily accompanies jury duty, and employers without clear guidance on whether they must accommodate the absence. I ask the task force to establish whether this gap exists in fact; if it does, it is a barrier operating precisely on jurors who cannot afford an unprotected absence. 4. In-person delivery does not appear to be necessary Practice already varies. Wasco's published materials contemplate remote viewing. Benton County Circuit Court (and many others) holds orientation on the first day of the jury term, so that the appearance coincides with reporting rather than adding a separate one. Neither model requires a distinct pre-term trip to the courthouse. Where identity verification, hardship screening, or badge issuance are the reason for an in-person session, those functions do not obviously require a separate day rather than the opening of the first reporting day. Requests 1. Audit each circuit's published juror information against its actual orientation requirement, and report the results. Where they diverge, correct the published page. 2. Recommend that no juror be required to appear on a date not stated on the summons, and that any required appearance fall within the stated term of service. 3. Determine whether ORS 10.090 and ORS 10.092 protections attach to a court-compelled appearance scheduled outside the term of service, and recommend statutory clarification if they do not. 4. Recommend a default of remote or asynchronous orientation, consistent with the practice OJD already publishes for several circuits; where in-person orientation is retained, schedule it on the first day of the term. 5. Survey how many circuits require a separate pre-term in-person appearance, whether it is compensated, and how many summoned jurors it affects annually. Respectfully submitted, Ivar Anderson Summoned juror, Wasco County Circuit Court”