Growing County Sets New Standard for Jury Management
- Industry: County Court System
- Location: Williamson County, Texas
- Number of Employees: 700
- Population: 700,000
- Tyler Client Since: 1989
- Tyler products/solutions used: Enterprise Jury Manager
As one of the fastest growing counties in the nation, with 13 courts, Williamson County, Texas, recognized the need for a more effective, modern jury management system, especially when faced with the increased challenges and demands for online services brought on by the pandemic. The county was on a mission to find a new jury management software solution that would not only serve the immediate need of safely supporting trials through the pandemic but that would also meet the long-term goals of streamlining juror tracking, processing, and communication.
The Then and Now of Jury Management
Together, the Williamson County Technology Services and District Clerk’s office selected and implemented Tyler’s Enterprise Jury Manager software solution, going live in December 2020. Prior to implementing the new solution, court staff would call in 300-400 potential jurors every week, which meant hundreds of jurors were waiting at the courthouse to find out their assignment or whether they were needed at all.
After successfully launching the new system, court staff can manage and qualify jurors before they even set foot in the courthouse — reducing the amount of money paid out for juror service. And, staff can contact potential jurors electronically, sending out texts and emails informing jurors whether they need to come in or if they are dismissed.
“Instead of paying 300 to 400 people to show up and appear and not be needed, we get 50 and they’re already assigned to the court, so they don’t have to come down to the basement, the jury call room. They go directly to the court; they’ve already been qualified and certified online so they’re ready to go once they hit the courtroom,” Lisa David, district clerk for Williamson County, explains.
Since implementing Enterprise Jury Manager, the county has automated jury pool management selection for 13 courts, improved juror convenience by leveraging innovative electronic communication features, reduced foot traffic at the courthouse, and saved the county thousands of dollars by pre-qualifying potential jurors.
Automation Replaces Court’s Manual Process
Williamson County has expedited multiple aspects of the jury process across the county’s courts. One of the key ways the county has increased efficiency through Enterprise Jury Manager is by allowing jurors to respond to their summons online, which automates the qualification process through a self-guided form. Not only does this save court staff time qualifying jurors in person, but this user-friendly process has also reduced the amount of questions court staff receive.
But, when questions do occur, leaning on features like an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) phone system decreases the number of phone calls staff need to manage.
Prior to implementing these features, David says, “We used to have dedicated court personnel in my office that were assisting the jurors. And so, we were handling paper cards, having to deal with the manual process.” Now, David says, “As opposed to spreading these calls through the office, I’m now down to one clerk that handles all the phone calls.” This allows for those other personnel to focus their attention on other areas.
Prioritizing Juror Convenience
Williamson County understands the importance of the jurors’ time as well, prioritizing their experience before they even set foot in the courtroom. “We call out juries with at least a five-to-six-week notice. Once they receive a jury summons, they are told to fill out an online questionnaire,” David explains, which determines whether a juror is qualified or not. “If they are qualified, they will be on the jury call list, the jury panel, and when it’s time for the courts to let us know how many jurors they need, then we will notify the juror. They’ll report unless they get an email saying, ‘Your jury service is complete’, meaning they no longer need to appear for court.”
We work hard to make sure that our community, our citizens, trust what we’re doing and feel confident that what we’re doing is good for them.
Lisa David
District Clerk, Williamson County
Williamson County is effectively managing jurors through the juror process and providing them convenience with the online system. “It doesn’t take up the court’s time, it doesn’t take up that juror’s time,” David says.
Strengthening Connections in and Outside the Community
During this transition, the Williamson County Technology Services and District Clerk’s office wanted to maintain the trusted relationship they’ve built within their community. When integrating Enterprise Jury Manager in their court system, they sent out regular press releases to inform and educate the community on their progress.
“We work hard to make sure that our community, our citizens, trust what we’re doing and feel confident that what we’re doing is good for them,” David explains.
In addition to the dedicated technology team and court staff at Williamson County, David also credits the longstanding relationship with Tyler for helping reach a successful implementation. “We’ve made so many personal connections with Tyler throughout these years that we know we have a number to call, we have someone that will help us.”