Technology report: Intelligent summoner

Abstract

Trial Courts all over the world have a common problem concerning how to regulate the number of jurors to summon so that there is a sufficient but not excess supply available for scheduled trials. Many trials end abruptly just before jurors are selected for voir dire. The reasons for this are diverse, including last minute settlements, guilty pleas, continuances, unavailability of witnesses, etc. This typically results in one-third to one-half of all summoned jurors never experiencing any activity at all — they might as well have stayed at work or home.

It is in the best interest of the Court, business community, taxpayers and citizenry to use the minimum number of jurors necessary to conduct trials on a timely basis. It was the goal of the Intelligent Summoner to meet this challenge, and it has succeeded beyond expectations.

This paper describes the background and design of the Intelligent Summoner and its operational experience during the first three years. The Intelligent Summoner was developed by MacNeel-Eisan Associates and has been in use in a medium-sized Common Pleas trial court located in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.