What does it take to be a juror for high-profile cases in Maricopa County?
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Maricopa County has seen some of the highest-profile murder cases in the country. Behind these trials are the jurors, who play a vital role in ensuring that the trial’s outcome is fair and honest.
“What jurors do is allow individuals who have been harmed, individuals who are accused of crimes, and victims of crimes to have the opportunity to be heard,” said Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Danielle Viola.
This can be especially tough in high-profile cases where there may be a lot of publicity. But Viola said that every juror goes through a detailed process of questions to ensure there’s nothing that could affect their decision-making.
“You have individuals who are willing to listen to the info that is presented. To walk into the courtroom without bringing preconceived notions about what the results should be, about what the facts are,” she said.
Viola said that in some trials, dozens of jurors are called. On average, 200 to 300 jurors are called for trials in Maricopa County every week. For the judicial branch, including municipal courts and limited jurisdiction courts, 430,000 jurors were summoned last year. Nearly 300,000 were summoned for the superior court.
In Maricopa County, residents are obligated by state law to serve as jurors, unless excused. When a person receives a summons in the mail, they are asked to visit the Maricopa County eJuror System, which allows jurors to qualify for jury service, ask for excuses, disqualifications and postponements.
All Maricopa County residents who are over 18 years old, U.S. citizens, and have never been convicted of a felony or have had their civil rights restored are obligated to serve on a jury. Citizens over 75 years of age may be excused from jury service by written request. Also, anyone who appeared for jury service is exempt from serving for 18 months.
To honor the residents of Maricopa County who uphold their civic duty to serve as part of the jury process, the Judicial Branch of Arizona in Maricopa County will celebrate Jury Appreciation Week, beginning Monday, May 5. Throughout the week, jurors will be offered refreshments, and those serving on longer trials will receive a free lunch.
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