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Meeting Archives: September 29, 2026

September 29, 2026

Index

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

Agenda

Agenda: Task Force on Removing Barriers to Jury Service

  • Meeting #9: Public Education
  • September 29, 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
Discussion About Whether to Extend the Task Force
  • Chair McCullough, Senior Counsel for Government Relations, OJD
Public Education
  • OJD's Juror Orientation Video - Soliciting Feedback 
    • Chair McCullough, Senior Counsel for Government Relations, OJD
  • OJD's Public Service Campaign
    • Molly Harvis, Statewide Jury Coordinator, 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 9/29/26 meeting) Task Force on Removing Barriers to Jury Service

Date: September 1, 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, Aaron Felton, Representative Kim Wallan, Keren Farkas
Members Not in Attendance: Senator James Manning, Jr., Senator Kim Thatcher, Honorable Matthew Shirtcliff, Honorable Chanpone Sinlapasai
Quorum: Yes (9)
Ratify Prior Meeting Minutes
  • Aaron Felton replaced Bryan Brock as a task force member
    • Polk County District Attorney since 2013
  • Chair McCullough asked if anyone had any changes to the 8/12/26 meeting minutes
    • There were none
  • Chair McCullough asked if there were any objections to ratifying the 8/12/26 meeting minutes
    • There were none
  • Chair McCullough ratified the 8/12/26 meeting minutes
Trauma 
  • Chair McCullough noted that in a future meeting it would be a good idea if the task force could have some past jurors speak to their experiences with jury service
  • Matti Girardi, Trauma-Informed Equity & Inclusion Director, Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office, presented on Multnomah’s secondary trauma support program for grand jurors
    • Multnomah County had received feedback that jurors were experiencing distress from jury service
      • Girardi was asked in January of 2025 to try to develop ways to better support grand jurors
    • What happens to grand jurors when their service ends and what are some ways we can help to reduce or mitigate distress they may feel when they finish with their service?
    • What happens internally to a juror as they are experiencing or participating in jury duty?
      • Invisible experiences and hidden trauma can have a deep impact
      • We can’t prevent or remove difficult or traumatic material from jury service, but we can look at some of the conditions that allow people to go through their service without being further harmed by it
      • Four things to help: prepare jurors for potential impact, equip jurors with practical tools to use, develop relationships with jurors to stay present and connect with them during and after their service, support jurors and be responsive as needs arise
      • Important to convey that experiencing secondary trauma is normal and that any distress they may feel is not a personal weakness, and it can impact individuals differently depending on their lived experiences
    • Compassion satisfaction 
      • Grand jurors have said they wanted to be dismissed from the trial because the case was overwhelming, but feeling supported helped them feel compassion satisfaction and feel the importance of their jury service
    • Support involves multiple small points of check-ins with support and resources
      • Start with a flyer to prepare jurors on how they may be affected by jury service and how being a juror can take an emotional toll
      • 20 minute training on what jurors may experience and symptoms that may follow 
      • Provide tangible tools, a self-care plan, evidence-based and discreet somatic practices, and fidgets
      • Check in with jurors weekly so they don’t have to reach out themselves and don’t feel alone
      • Additional peer support, depending on juror needs
    • Support needs to be layered and not one single resource
    • Support doesn’t end when the training ends
      • Many jurors have shared that just knowing Girardi is available helps ease their anxiety
    • Looking at barriers before jurors even get to the courthouse is crucial
    • What happens when all this is done but the experience itself of being a juror is distressing and becomes its own barrier?
    • What can be done on a statewide level?
      • Normalizing the possibility of jury service having an emotional impact before jurors encounter it
      • Build support into the jury service process
      • Be a consistent source of support for jurors throughout their service and after
    • If jury service is a civic responsibility, what responsibility does the system have to the people who perform it?
    • Chair McCullough asked Girardi has spoken with other counties/courts about providing these services?
      • Girardi noted that research has shown that they’re currently the only court in offering in-house support, but some courts offer counseling sessions after jury service
        • Girardi has had several counties (Columbia, Clackamas, Washington) reach out to ask about these services, and on occasion an individual juror from another county has reached out seeking services/help
    • Representative Andersen asked if, in individual counties, especially smaller counties, whether there’s enough of a budget to support these services? If there is not, is this something we should look to the Oregon Judicial Department (OJD) to have as a statewide function (providing the financial resources and perhaps the staff who might work directly with jurors as Girardi has been)?
      • Girardi noted it would be ideal to implement these supports statewide and noted that, when looking at the diverse pool of jurors, we want to ensure institutional trauma based on identity is being addressed properly
        • When we do this we get a more diverse jury pool that wants to engage in service
        • Girardi suggested having a psychological aide who has an understanding of identity, as opposed to needing a psychologist
        • When people are grounded and regulated their decision making is more grounded and less biased as well
        • Girardi did not thinking that scaling and implementing would cost too much and that it’s doable
    • López asked what the makeup of the staff who have been doing this work is? And who are they working with to ensure the most vulnerable communities that participate as jurors are getting the services they need?
      • What is being done to ensure immigrant communities receive the care they need, particularly when it doesn’t always involve Western care?
        • Girardi noted that while there is various cultural and racial representation among grand jury staff, it is still a challenge
          • We need to do a better job with representation in staff, especially in Multnomah County, that could be more proactive on how we are protecting immigrant populations as they move through the system
          • It's an area for further development and needs to be embedded in the trauma work/support being done
    • Chair McCullough noted that there are different organizations that could give feedback or be part of the process for designing these resources
      • Those doing work with juries could potentially include those organizations on a resource list or ask them to work with the courts to help provide jurors with a warm hand off to them
      • López noted that Adelante and Latino Network are both good resources to connect with for trauma support
      • Girardi noted that it would be good to speak with a pool of jurors directly to help understand their experiences
        • It won’t be one resource that will solve all the issues, it will be multiple resources
    • Felton noted that since many counties have tight budgets and grand juries are a judicial function that it would make sense for funding to come from OJD
      • In Polk County they provide an outline as part of jury orientation about how the work is hard and the topics can be tough, and you may not know when you get triggered and they discuss the importance of open communication about this
        • Some jurors don’t return to service after hearing this and they’re not sure why
          • Felton wants to look at Multnomah County’s written materials that Girardi talked about
      • The hope is that all juries can access these support resources
        • We should find a way for staff, in all counties, to become trauma informed and trained in how to initiate talking about the topic
    • Chair McCullough contemplated what scaling what Multnomah County has done statewide would look like
      • A legislative directive to OJD to develop materials or work with Multnomah County and others to develop materials to distribute
      • Maybe training videos, but having a person talk to jurors seems better
      • The counties provide most of the funding for district attorney offices, but the state provides some things for district attorneys
        • Additional staffing could be helpful (we’d want to know how much time and staffing it would take)
          • Girardi noted that even just knowing someone is available to help, even if they don’t take that help, and having those connections built over time is helpful and also helps show where the gaps in needs are
      • Girardi stated that any implementation should be slow and iterative to maintain equitability and inclusivity and to ensure it remains responsive and trauma-informed
    • Representative Andersen suggested that jurors who found the resources helpful could be asked if they want to volunteer to come back and talk to future grand jury panels about their experience
      • We could develop a discussion template
      • Could there be a bipartisan bill to allocate the resources and responsibility between OJD and the counties?
        • Chair McCullough noted that OJD currently has a placeholder bill related to jury service for the 2027 legislative session
        • It may be helpful to have more than one vehicle for this, one with a fiscal and one without
        • The task force may discuss this idea further at future meetings
        • Representative Andersen asked Chair McCullough to discuss the idea further with his Chief of Staff Andrew Smith
    • López asked if there’s a survey for jurors to fill out after jurors use these support resources (something that’s not filled out immediately after service is done)?
      • Girardi has been gathering anecdotal feedback from jurors, judges, and district attorneys by asking questions directly, but they are starting to use a pre- and post-service survey
        • For a post-service survey that has a gap of time between the end of service and the survey, it would be meaningful to collect that data but it’s unclear how much engagement there would be
      • López noted that when Centro Cultural does community engagement involving surveys, they make sure they are making the calls and providing staff to reach out
        • It's important to tell jurors the reasons we want to collect this information so they’re more likely to complete the surveys
        • Girardi noted the importance of human connection when doing that outreach/engagement
          • They could build that relationship in-house with grand jurors by telling them there’s a survey that can be taken a month after service
    • Chair McCullough noted that the task force can have conversations about how the group can help with Girardi’s efforts to expand these resources
  • Molly Harvis, Statewide Jury Coordinator, OJD, provided an overview of OJD’s Trauma Pilot program for petit juries through the vendor Canopy 
    • OJD submitted a proposal last year, modeled after the federal court program, to provide mental health resources to jurors
    • Launched in May 2026 in 15 counties and will run for 12 months with a review in October 2026
    • The pilot provides access to behavioral health resources through Canopy (REVIVE) to jurors seated on felony and qualifying domestic violence related misdemeanor trials (any jury trial in which there’s at least one felony charge and any trial in which there is at least one misdemeanor that has a qualifying domestic violence modifier on it)
      • Limited to certain trials due to budget restrictions and because the research on these programs and models shows those are the cases most likely to have graphic images/testimony
    • Services provided at no cost to juror or pilot courts
    • It's a similar model to the ones in Pennsylvania, Washington, and Colorado
      • Evaluations of these programs show promising results regarding juror perception of the judicial system and reduced symptoms of secondary and vicarious trauma
    • Jurors receive up to three phone calls to a confidential hotline to speak to a behavioral health professional
      • Available in any language as long as there’s a translator available
      • They may receive a referral for continued care if it’s suggested or requested
        • Canopy has resources to help jurors find and connect to a referral at a price point and in a language that’s accessible to them
    • Services are available for up to three months after the last day of jury service
    • Critical incident stress debriefing sessions
      • If a critical incident occurs during a trial, there is support from an in person in clinician for everyone affected and that clinician is brought in within 72 hours
        • Not just for jurors, but for anyone who was in the room during the incident
    • Research shows that even just knowing support is available helps jurors
    • Goals of the pilot:
      • Offer support and resources to individuals who may be exposed to traumatic/graphic material as a result of jury service
      • Improve jury service to promote equitable service and participation
    • Evaluating the program:
      • We are offering a survey to anyone who is provided the service, including alternate jurors
      • Comparative study with the federal court program at the end of the pilot
        • Impact evaluation 
    • So far, survey responses have been positive and show the benefit of having the program in place (e.g., reduces juror stress knowing the resource is available even if it wasn’t used)
    • The pilot includes a judge ran judicial training for the people at the courts to understand vicarious trauma, therapeutic jurisprudence, what jurors may be asked to do, and the judicial role
      • We are requiring the judges to be the ones to offer the resources
        • Judges have a model script that normalizes and validates juror reactions, informs them of the available pilot resources, assures their confidentiality and access to the resources, and directs them to the survey
        • For alternate jurors the script is a little different since they don’t want to affect deliberation
    • The meeting materials include a brochure and wallet card with information about the pilot program that were made in tandem with Canopy
      • Those are available in all common Oregon language and are physically provided to all of the pilot courts
    • Representative Andersen noted that while the pilot helps with trauma after jury service, we may want to have something on the front end that addresses it as well
      • Harvis agreed and noted that there are areas in the jury trial process where that information can be discussed beforehand so if someone doesn’t think they can do jury service due to the potential trauma they may experience, they have an opportunity to address that early on
    • López asked what happens if Canopy cannot connect someone to help from people with similar backgrounds/experiences?
      • Harvis receives monthly feedback results from Canopy and asks for acknowledgments of areas where there are gaps in their services
        • Since May, Harvis has not received any information that Canopy has been unable to fulfill a need for a service, any issues have been about delays in receiving services rather than lack of available services
    • López noted that she has heard stories about how witnesses and family members are affected by trauma in court and asked if these services available to them as well?
      • Harvis replied that they are only available to them in the event of a critical incident stress debriefing session
        • The pilot only offers the phone hotline to jurors sitting on the trial, however, OJD employees do have access to the same resources by virtue of being an OJD employee
          • Harvis has received requests to expand the pilot to grand jurors
            • Waiting till the pilot’s six month review to see if the funding is available for that
    • Chair McCullough asked Harvis for updates on the pilot program as it progresses so they can be shared with the task force
      • Chair McCullough and Harvis will talk further to determine what the budget to expand the pilot to all counties would be and how it would impact the biennial budget
    • Chair McCullough asked if Harvis had heard of courts doing a post voir-dire but pre-trial discussion on what vicarious trauma is to help jurors identify what it is so they better know if they may need the services and to have an awareness of what’s happening
      • Harvis replied that there’s a statewide vicarious trauma brochure for jurors (common signs and symptoms, normalizing reactions, state/nationwide resources)
        • Last year Harvis customized those with free/low cost resources specific to each county
        • Some courts have those out in their jury room and many point it out in juror orientation
        • Some courts offer it as a resource when jurors are sworn in
        • Some courts have decided to keep their vicarious trauma and mental health resources to post-trial to not impact the trial
        • OJD also encourages, and provides materials if judges would like to offer, a post-trial debriefing
        • Felton asked how all of this is actually working in practice? How much of it just devolves into just saying there’s a brochure available? And how many people actually read them?
          • Harvis agreed that we don’t know how much people actually pay attention to the juror orientation video or read the brochures
            • Adult learners need repetition for information to stick, so having these repetitive resources can be helpful so they know they have it in case feelings of trauma arise later
  • California Bill AB 2357 (Courts: Mental Health Pilot Program)
    • Similar to OJD’s pilot program
    • No cost mental health services to jurors and alternate jurors following the verdict in violent felony cases
      • Didn't specify how many sessions people would get, but it would be a contract between their judicial department and county behavioral health providers to provide services and that would specify how many sessions there were
    • Didn't make it through California’s Ways and Means process, but it could be a model we may want to look at
  • North Dakota Jury Counseling Bill (Passed)
    • 10 hours of free post-trial psychological counseling
      • Provided if the jury trial involved extraordinarily graphic, gruesome, or emotional evidence or testimony
      • Limited to certain serious offenses (likely to try to contain costs)
  • Federal Courts and Mental Health
    • There are services provided through the federal employee assistance program
      • A trial judge has to order, before the end of trial, that they are extending the jury’s term of service for administrative purposes for long enough for them to obtain counseling (up to 6 counseling session each)
  • Chair McCullough noted that the above examples are focused on post-jury service counseling compared to Multnomah County providing more comprehensive intervention at different stages of the process
Where We Are Going From Here
  • September 29: Public education, importance of jury service
    • There is work OJD and other states have been doing
      • Chair McCullough will talk to the National Center for State Courts to see if they want to present on what other states have been doing
  • For future meetings, we can circle back to do a deeper dive on previously discussed topics
  • The Task Force’s report to the legislature is due December 15, 2026
    • Chair McCullough plans on working on a draft and then getting feedback from the Task Force at future meetings
  • Chair McCullough proposed asking the legislature to extend the Task Force through 2027 to give more time to discuss the policy options, engage stakeholders (especially impacted individuals), and give more time to build a budget ask for a jury compensation increase
    • If current members wouldn’t be able to continue their service, then Chair McCullough could potentially do a debrief with everyone to make sure their thoughts/ideas have been accurately captured in the recommendations and we could find someone else to serve
    • Due to the 2027 long legislative session, the Task Force would also likely need to be paused until July
    • The Task Force will discuss this idea further at the next meeting
Public Comment 
  • Chair McCullough noted that the Task Force received a public comment pertaining to something that occurred in Wasco County where the local court practice varies from much of the state
    • That comment is being shared with Wasco County
    • The Task Force may want to consider a change to address the idea of having orientation be on the same day as the first day of service for petit juries
Next Meeting 
  • Date: September 29, 2026
  • Time: 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
  • Via: Webex Webinar

Updated Barriers to Jury Service and Policy Options

Barriers to Jury Service and Policy Options For September 29, 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:
      • 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 petit jurors in cases (civil and/or criminal) involving violence and sexual assault:
      • Update Note: The preceding bullet was updated to include "petit" and "/or"
      • Provide resource lists
        • Update Note: The preceding bullet was moved to be under the "For grand jurors and petit jurors..." bullet
        • Update Note (new bullet): Ensure resources are diverse, to meet the needs of diverse jurors
      • 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
        • Update Note: The preceding bullet was moved to be under the "For grand jurors and petit jurors..." bullet
      • Update Note (new bullet): Check-ins with jurors during and after jury service (to connect with services and solicit feedback)
      • Update Note (new bullet): Provide access to peer support
    • Update Note (new bullet): Provide critical incident stress debriefing sessions for everyone in the room during a critical incident during a trial
    • Update Note (new bullet): State funding to District Attorneys to pay for:
      • Update Note (new bullet): Staff to provide trauma-related training, resources and support to grand jurors
    • Update Note (new bullet): State funding to OJD to pay for: 
      • Update Note (new bullet): Staff to provide trauma-related training, resources and support to petit jurors in circuit court
      • Update Note (new bullet): Development of resources and training for courts (circuit, justice, and municipal) and DAs who want to make improvements in this area
        • Update Note (new bullet): Ensure development process includes consultation with individuals with lived experience as jurors and diverse community groups, particularly those that provide trauma support
      • Development of training for judges and/or attorneys on trauma-informed trial practices
        • Update Note: "Training for judges..." was changed to "Development of training for judges..."
  • 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

Juror Outreach Toolkit

What you'll find:
  • Overview of the tool (page 2)
  • Tool #1: Guest Column (Op-Ed) (page 3)
  • Tool #2: Community Presentation Materials (page 5)
  • Tool #3: Juror Appreciation Week (page 8)
  • Additional Materials & Resources (page 9)
Overview 

To improve jury response rates and help increase public trust in the courts, it may be helpful to build general community awareness about the importance of jury duty.

Potential key questions to answer may include:

  • Why is jury service critical in the first place? (History, constitutional and statutory rights, role in democracy, true cross-section of the community, access to justice, essential service)
  • How does jury service actually work?
  • Why is it important that we recruit diverse juries?
  • Why should people serve despite the barriers? (Distance, cost, inconvenience, etc.)

This toolkit is designed to offer road maps, templates, and examples of a few different types of outreaches. This toolkit is non-exhaustive to what type of outreach you may do in your local court, and we encourage you to reach out if you have any additional tools or examples, you would like added to this guide.

For questions, requests, or assistance in juror outreach, reach out to Office of the State Court Administrator’s (OSCA) Statewide Jury Coordinator or Communications Team. Contact information is provided below.

Sarah Evans (she/her)

  • Communications Coordinator 
  • (971) 372-1850
  • Sarah.j.evans@ojd.state.or.us

Molly Harvis (she/her)

  • Statewide Jury Coordinator 
  • (971) 718-1425
  • Molly.t.harvis@ojd.state.or.us

Todd Sprague (he/him)

  • Public Information Officer 
  • (503) 986-5524
  • Todd.sprague@ojd.state.or.us

Tool #1: Placing a guest column (op-ed) in the local paper
What is an op-ed?

Opinion editorials, known as “op-eds” or guest columns, are short commentary pieces written by third parties rather than the staff of the publication. An op-ed is an excellent way to communicate your messages, directly and unfiltered, to target audiences.

Drafting a guest editorial/op-ed
  • 1. Confer and coordinate with the Office of the State Court Administrator (OSCA) communications team before developing and submitting an op-ed to make sure data is accurate and current and that the focus fits with OJD priorities.
  • 2. Check your local paper’s website for guest opinion/op-ed guidelines. These are often different depending on the publication, and they include things like word counts and methods for submitting. If they do not list a word limit, best practice is to keep it shorter than 700 words. It’s important to adhere to newspapers’ word limits, or else your op-ed will be heavily edited before publication. Only send your op-ed to publications where you or your topic will be of interest to readers in your local area.
  • 3. Decide who will be the author of the op-ed. The choice of an author is critical; people with highly recognizable names or positions in your community are more likely to have their articles published. Even if several people work on writing the piece, it’s more likely to be published if the listed author has a high position.
  • 4. Write the op-ed or use the template provided and include local examples when possible. The more you can localize an issue, the more likely the newspaper is to publish it. Examples of local information to include would be a description of how jury service works and how many people serve in your county. In addition to the main messages about jury duty, also keep in mind ways that you can weave in the Oregon Judicial Department’s key messages: justice for all, protecting our rights and our democracy, service to Oregonians, and participation by citizens.
  • 5. Include a short cover note with your op-ed. The note should include the author’s name, title, organization (or other descriptive credential), contact information, and why the piece is important.
  • 6. Only submit your op-ed to one publication at a time. Many papers will insist that your submission to be unique to them. Also, do not post your op-ed on a blog or your webpage before it is published in the paper (you can post a link to it after it is published).

From Washington Presiding Judges Tool Kit, adapted with permission of the Washington Courts, originally drawn from NAPTA (with permission). Additional permission granted by Valley Regional Transit 9/13/17.

Additional Source: Justice at Stake and NAWJ Informed Voters Project, with permission from NAWJ.

  • 7. Be prepared to submit a headshot photo of the author if asked. Some papers require this for guest opinions, but others do not. You don’t need to provide the photo in advance unless it is asked for in the submission process.
  • 8. After the op-ed is published, share it online and with your networks. Post a link to the actual newspaper site where it is published in the News section of your court’s webpage. Share it with justice and other community partners who might post it to their social media. You should also share it with your staff and send it to the OSCA communications team.
Resources
  • Op-ed template about the importance of jury duty (page 9)
Tool #2: Making a community presentation 

For many members of your local community, the justice system is shrouded in mystery. Local civic groups are delighted to have a speaker discuss topics that impact all citizens, like jury duty.

Here are some possible speaking opportunities in your community. Some may be meeting in person, and others may be virtual.

  • Local Rotary Club: Local Rotary Clubs are always looking for speakers. If you belong, contact your Rotary president to schedule a presentation, or visit Rotary International at www.rotary.org to find your local Rotary Club and meeting location.
  • League of Women Voters: The League is a non-partisan political organization focused on encouraging informed and active participation in government, increasing understanding of major public issues, and influencing public policy through citizen education and advocacy. The League has more than a dozen chapters in Oregon.
  • Local Senior Center: Depending on how active your community’s senior center is, this can provide a great opportunity to explain how the jury system works and the importance of jury service or solicit ideas for improving jury response rates.
  • Local Kiwanis Club: Similar to Rotary, Kiwanis clubs are service organizations which often hold breakfast or luncheon meetings each week. To locate your chapter, visit Kiwanis International at www.kiwanis.org/clubs.
  • Local Chambers of Commerce: The focus here is mostly on small business, economic development, and community vitality. Meetings are often at lunch time and guest speakers may be incorporated into a panel or theme-based presentation. Find out more by contacting your local chamber(s) directly.
  • High school, community college, or university civics/government/politics classes: These can be a great way to help educate young people about the importance of jury service, how it works, and how they can be part of this important service.
Using Technology in Presentations

If the community organization is meeting virtually, make sure to ask in advance about the tools they use (Zoom, Teams, etc.) and the technical details for sharing your PowerPoint slides, if you have any.

When considering whether to include a PowerPoint or other technology in your presentation, ask these questions:

  • Does the venue have a projector and screen or large TV monitor you can use?
  • Do they have a laptop, or do you need to bring one? Is their computer a Mac or PC?
  • Does the site have wi-fi or another type of internet connection?
  • If your presentation depends on music, video, or other sound to be effective, does the venue have a speaker system you can tap into?
  • Does the host group have someone who can help you get your presentation set up at the site?
  • If you have a slide show, is the number of slides realistic for the time available? A good rule of thumb is plan for 1-2 slides per minute, depending on the complexity of the information.
  • If the time available for your presentation is really short (10-15 minutes), is it worth using a PowerPoint at all? It might be better to engage your audience with a question or two and then just talk through your main points.
  • If you are presenting virtually, has the meeting been set up so that you can present your materials? (Presenter visual and audio privileges, recording settings)
Tips for Community Presentations and Q&A Sessions 
  1. Know your audience. Tune your comments to their needs, interests, and values. Avoid using examples that will needlessly arouse passions, divide, or distract the audience when a more neutral option is available.
  2. Use plain language and avoid legal terminology as much as possible so everyone will know what you’re talking about.
  3. Think of the Q&A session as a one-on-one conversation with a reasonable person. Find a different face every few seconds but maintain your one-on-one attitude.
  4. Anticipate tough questions and plan your responses. List every question, comment, or challenge that could come your way. In relation to jury duty, these questions could be related to bad personal experiences (“When I had jury duty, it was a waste of time, the court did not respect my time, they did not keep my informed, and they had terrible facilities.”) Decide how you’ll respond to the items on your list, and how you’ll “bridge” your response back to your key messages.
  5. Always plan a “second close” for your presentation. Don’t just let your presentation end when time runs out on the last question. Allow time to finish with a memorable, wrap-up point you want to make, and a thank you.
  6. Practice with an audience that’s willing and able to critique you fairly and honestly. Then practice again.
Resources 
  • PowerPoint template about the importance of jury service (available on internal SharePoint site
Tool #3: Juror Appreciation Week

A Juror Appreciation Week (or month) can provide opportunities to:

  • Directly thank current or recent jurors with letters, certificates, refreshments, official declarations, or other recognition (improving word of mouth in the community about jury duty).
  • Place a guest editorial in the local paper noting the critical role of juries and the importance of responding when called.
  • Solicit local media for a feature story highlighting the critical roles juries play, the personal experiences of recent jurors, and any improvements you may have made in juror facilities or services. (The OSCA communications team can assist with this.)
  • Hang student-created posters or banners and honor the student artists.
  • Organize lunch-hour presentations or concerts in or near the courthouse.
  • Conduct the ABA’s Dialogue on the American Jury (available at this link) at local colleges or high schools
  • Show juror orientation videos at local community centers, colleges, or high schools.

While Juror Appreciation Week is customarily recognized in the first full week of May, it can be planned for any time of year in your local jurisdiction.

Resources 

  • Juror Appreciation Kit from the American Bar Association: This kit includes sample press releases, op-eds, juror appreciation certificates, and other materials.
  • Sample proclamation, certificate for jurors, juror questionnaire, activities, and posters (pages 11-19)
Additional Materials and Resources
Guest Editorial/Op-Ed Sample Template 

Jury service is more than an obligation — it changes lives

By the Honorable JUDGE NAME

Each week in COUNTY NAME County, juries make decisions that change lives. They provide justice for victims and families, ensure that businesses honor their obligations, award damages to people injured through the negligence of others, and determine whether an individual will be imprisoned or set free.

This fundamental pillar of our democracy — the right to a trial by a jury of our peers — depends entirely on those who answer the call to service.

I know it can be tempting to see a jury summons as an inconvenience, particularly during a pandemic, but jury service is one of the most important civic duties you can participate in. When you report for jury duty, you are helping our courts ensure that everyone in our community receives the rights they are guaranteed by the Constitution.

The first week of May is Juror Appreciation Week, and your local judges and court staff would like to extend their gratitude to those who have responded for jury duty. In COUNTY NAME County, that is nearly AVERAGE NUMBER OF JURORS WHO REPORT FOR JURY DUTY IN YOUR COUNTY ANNUALLY people each year. Numerous citizens served even during the early stages of the pandemic, when our courts remained open and jury trials continued to happen with extensive COVID precautions in place to keep everyone safe.

Beyond serving out of obligation, many who answer their jury summons also see the opportunity as an interesting learning experience. Jury service is a unique opportunity to witness firsthand the inside of our courthouse and how court proceedings work.

Additionally, jury service is not a long commitment for most people. (ADD A SENTENCE HERE ABOUT LENGTH OF SERVICE IN YOUR JURISDICTION.) For most of those who do serve, trials typically last one to two days. The vast majority of those who report for service do not actually serve on a jury. However, just their presence in the jury assembly room helps move many cases to resolution. The prospect of a trial becomes very real when parties know that jurors are ready and waiting.

Also, Oregon law protects workers by barring employers from firing, threatening to fire, intimidating, or coercing employees because of their jury service. We would like to thank the many private companies, government agencies, small businesses, school districts, and all those who encourage and support their employees when they are called to jury service.

Your local courts — and your fellow community members — depend on your service. Thank you for doing your duty!

The Honorable JUDGE NAME is the presiding judge for the COUNTY NAME County Circuit Court.

Sample Juror Appreciation Week Proclamation for local government
  • (NOTE: Some cities and counties will have proclamation guidelines noted on their websites, or you can simply contact the offices of the city council or county commission.)
  • WHEREAS, the right to trial by a jury of one’s peers is an important and unique part of our system of justice and a cornerstone of our form of government; and
  • WHEREAS, the Sixth and Seventh Amendments to the U.S. Constitution preserve the right to trial by jury and give the jury the responsibility to defend, with its verdict, all other individual rights enumerated or implied by the U.S. Constitution, including its amendments; and
  • WHEREAS, the State of Oregon (in Article I, Sections 11, 16 and 17 of the Oregon Constitution) recognizes these rights in both criminal and civil cases; and
  • WHEREAS, the Oregon Judicial Department and the XXX County Court recognize the vital role played by nearly xxx citizens who take time away from their families and businesses to serve as jurors in XXX County each year; and
  • WHEREAS, as partners in justice, businesses and other employers across the state cooperate to assure our courts have a ready and representative pool of jurors;
  • NOW, THEREFORE, I, Official name, official title, do hereby proclaim the week of May xx-xx, 20xx, as
    • Juror Appreciation Week 
      • in the county of XXX/city of XXX, and I urge all citizens to recognize this event and to honor those individuals and businesses who continue to contribute to this vital part of our democratic way of life.
  • Signed this xx day of Month, Year
Certificate of Appreciation
  • Alt. Text: Oregon Judicial Department Logo
  • (Name) County Circuit Court
  • Certificate of Appreciation
  • Let the record show that...
  • trial by jury is the foundation of our system of justice. Through your service, you ensure that the right to a trial by jury is guaranteed for everyone.
  • Juror Appreciation Week 
  • May xx - xx, 202x
  • The ____________ Court hereby takes this opportunity to extend our appreciation and recognition of the important and vital role you play as a juror. 
  • __________________ 
    • (Presiding Judge)
Thank You for serving as a juror.
  • Alt. Text: Oregon Judicial Department Logo
  • We want to know more about your experience, so that we can make service as rewarding as possible for future jurors. Please take a few minutes to answer the following questions and return the form to (designate area)
    • 1. The amount of time I spent waiting was: __ too much __  just about right
    • 2. The information I received during my service was:
      • __not enough __ just right __ too much
    • 3. If you did not receive enough information, what more could we have provided?
    • 4. What did you like most about your service?
    • 5. What did you like the least about your service?
    • 6. Were you treated with courtesy by all court staff? __ yes __ no
    • 7. If no, please explain: 
    • 8. Were court facilities clean and organized? __ yes __ no
      • If no, please explain: 
  • On behalf of the Court, thank you for your service!
  • (Please return this questionnaire to...)
Jury Service Crossword
  • How much do you know about Oregon state trial courts and jury duty? Test your knowledge!
    • Alt. Text: Blank crossword puzzle
  • Crossword Cludes (Answers on back of page)
    • Across
      • 5. All ____!
      • 7. Legal hammer
      • 10. The amendment to the constitution that guarantees a right to a fair trial
      • 11. Courtroom enclosure for jurors
      • 12. Have you reached a ______?
      • 13. Rules established by the government 
      • 16. Annual celebration of jurors (3 words)
      • 18. ____ dire (juror examination) or French for "to speak the truth"
      • 19. A person who is being sued or accused of a crime in court
    • Down
      • 1. Courtroom break
      • 2. A person who brings a case against another in court
      • 3. Jury room debate
      • 4. Head of the Oregon Judiciary Branch (2 words)
      • 6. A court order received in the mail to appear for jury duty
      • 8. Twelve people (usually) sworn to render a verdict in court
      • 9. Spokesperson for a jury
      • 14. A jury of one's ____
      • 15. Potential juror
      • 17. Person who may speak from the stand
Jury Service Cross word
  • Answers
    • Across
      • 5. Rise
      • 7. Gavel
      • 10. Sixth
      • 11. Jury Box
      • 12. Verdict
      • 13. Laws
      • 16. Juror Appreciation Week
      • 18. Voir
      • 19. Defendant 
    • Down 
      • 1. Recess
      • 2. Plaintiff
      • 3. Deliberation
      • 4. Chief Justice
      • 6. Summons
      • 8. Jury
      • 9. Foreperson
      • 14. Peers
      • 15. Citizen
      • 17. Witness
  • Thank you for playing and for fulfilling your civic duty as a juror. 
  • For information on jury service visit the Oregon State Courts' website at www.court.oregon.gov or scan the QR code. 
    • Alt. Text: QR code going to the Oregon State Court's website; Oregon Judicial Department Logo
Jury Word Search Puzzle
  • Alt. Text: Blank word search
  • To solve the puzzle, find and circle these words in the chart above: 
    • Attorney
    • Bailiff 
    • Burden of proof
    • Counsel
    • Defendant 
    • Evidence 
    • Exhibit 
    • Foreperson
    • Impartial
    • Implicit bias
    • Judge 
    • Jury 
    • Plaintiff
    • Subpoena 
    • Testimony 
    • Verdict 
    • Voir dire 
    • Witness
    Jury Word Search Puzzle 
    • Answers
      • Alt. Text: Word search with the answers circled 
    • Thank you for playing and for fulfilling your civic duty as a juror.
    • For information on jury service visit the Oregon State Court's website at www.courts.oregon.gov or scan the QR code.
      • Alt. Text: QR code to the Oregon State Courts' website; Oregon Judicial Department Logo
    In honor of Juror Appreciation week, we in Oregon's state court system know there can be no justice without you. 
    • Thank you for serving Oregon. 
    • For information on jury service visit the Oregon State Courts' website at www.courts.oregon.gov or scan the QR code. 
      • Alt. Text: QR code to Oregon State Court's website; Oregon Judicial Department Logo
    The jury is the heart of the American justice system. 
    • Through your service, you have ensured that the right to trial by jury is guaranteed for all in our community. 
    • We recognize the responsibility and commitment of serving in Oregon and would like to extend our sincere gratitude to those of you who have served on jury duty. 
    • We would also like to thank the many agencies, businesses, schools, and all those who encourage and support their employees when they are called to jury service.
    • For information on jury service visit the Oregon State Courts' website at www.courts.oregon.gov or scan the QR code. 
      • Alt. Text: QR Code to the Oregon State Courts' website; Oregon Judicial Department logo

    Campaign Recap

    Slide 1: Campaign Recap
    • Radio+Digital
    • March 2026
    • Alt. Text: Oregon Public Broadcasting Logo; Oregon Judicial Department Logo
    Slide 2: Campaign Elements
    • OPB Radio Sponsorship
      • 3/2/26-3/29/26
      • 41 Broad Rotators, M-Su 5A-12A
    • OPB Digital Sponsorship
      • 3/2/26-3/30/26
      • 4 weeks on 300 x 250 Digital ad, 4 weeks on Article Rotation ad on OPB.org
    • 1,115,290 Total Estimated Impressions
    • Alt. Text: Oregon Public Broadcasting Logo; KMHD Jazz Radio Logo
    Slide 3: OPB RADIO COVERAGE IS STATEWIDE & BEYOND
    • Radio Coverage Map
      • Alt. Text: Map of Oregon showing where there are stations and where there are translators
        • Shows stations in Astoria, Tillamook, Portland, Gleneden Beach, Corvallis, Eugene, The Dalles, Bend, Pendleton, Enterprise, La Grande, Baker City, and Lakeview
        • Shows translators in Nedonna Beach, Happy Hollow, Newport, Hood River, Mt. Vernon, John Day, Riley, Silver Lake, Paisley, Halfway, Richland, Ontario
    • Alt. Text: Oregon Public Broadcasting Logo
    Slide 4: Performance by Channel
    • Alt. Text: Table showing two columns, one for OPB Radio, one for OPB Digital
      • OPB Radio
        • M-Su, 5A-12A
          • 336,200 Estimated Impressions*
          • 8,200 AQH Persons 
          • 6.9% Reach
          • 1.8X Frequency
        • 173,193 Additional estimated impressions outside of the Portland Metro Area**
        • TOTAL
          • 509,393 Estimated Statewide/National Impressions
      • OPB Digital 
        • 300x250 Ad
        • 260,789 Impressions
        • 387 Clicks 
        • 0.15% CTR
      • Article Page Ads
        • 345,108 Impressions 
        • 138 Clicks
        • 0.04% CTR
      • TOTAL
        • 605,897 Impressions
    • Sourcing: *PPM Analysis, KOPB-TLR, Portland, OR Metro, P6+, M-Su 5A-12A, FEB 2026; **RRC National Regional Database, Nielsen Audio Fall 2025, P12+, M-Su 6A-12A; Google Ad Manager
    • Alt. Text: Oregon Public Broadcasting Logo
    Slide 5: Thank You
    • At. Text: Oregon Public Broadcasting Radio Logo; KMHD Jazz Radio Logo

    Columbia County Juror Appreciation Event 5.1.26

    • Alt. Text: Six photos from the Columbia County Juror Appreciation event from May 2026. 
      • Photo 1: A justice scale, vase of flowers, and a placard sit on a table on a lawn. The placard reads: "Thank Your Jurors Your Service Makes Justice Possible. This event is made possible through a generous grant from American Board of Trial Advocates"
      • Photo 2: About a dozen tables spread across a lawn with people sitting and mingling throughout. Stairs leading down to the tables are decorated with balloons.
      • Photo 3: A vase of flowers, a placard, and feedback sheets sit on a table on the lawn. The stairs leading to the tables are decorated with balloons. The placard is the same as the one in Photo 1. The feedback sheet reads "Have a minute? We'd love your feedback. Please complete our short survey." and includes a QR code. 
      • Photo 4: A vase of flowers, basket of pens, reel of raffle tickets, and two signs sit on top of a table. The signs read "RAFFLE TICKETS HERE" and "Please write your NAME and PHONE NUMBER on your ticket"
      • Photo 5: A vase of flowers, a placard, and feedback sheets sit on a table on the lawn. The placard is the same as the one in Photo 1. the feedback sheet reads "Have a minute? We'd love your feedback. Please complete our short survey." and includes a QR code.
      • Photo 6: A person stands next to a table speaking into a microphone. Four people stand a few steps behind the person.