Judicial Services Report 2016, 225th Anniversary Edition

Jury Jurors perform a vital role in the American system of justice. The protection of our rights and liberties is largely achieved through the teamwork of judge and jury. They work together in a common effort, putting into practice the princi- ples of our great heritage of freedom. The judge determines the law to be applied in the case, while the jury decides the facts. Thus, in a very important way, jurors become a part of the court itself. Each year the process of selecting jurors begins when the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts makes available a list that is comprised of Lancaster County residents from the Pennsylvania Departments of Human Services, Transporta- tion, Revenue, and State. From there, the jury software program randomly chooses names of people to summon for jury ser- vice. Any inconvenience and financial sacrifice that might be made to render public service as a juror are greatly appreciat- ed by the judges, the lawyers, and your fellow citizens. It is a strong act of citizenship akin to paying taxes, serving in the military, and voting. The Jury unit manages the daily operation of summoning, managing excusals, and preparing juror lists for each judge. Over 17,000 jurors were summoned in 2015. This unit is comprised of the Jury Coordinator and the Assistant District Court Administrator-Criminal.