HomeMy WebLinkAboutRESOLUTIONS - 01011999 - 99-203 Board of Supervisors l
of
Contra Costa County, State of California
In the matter of Proclaiming )
May 9-15, 1999 as Juror Appreciation ) RESOLUTION N£). 9912Q3
Week in Contra Costa County )
WHEREAS, the Constitution of the United States of America and the Constitution of the State of California
provide for trial by jury as an essential right of citizenship;and
WHEREAS,the right to a trial by jury is one of the core values of American citizenship;and
WHEREAS,the obligation and privilege to serve as a juror are as fimdamental to our democracy as the right
to vote;and
WHEREAS,service by citizens as jurors is indispensable to the judicial and
WHEREAS,the Blue Ribbon Commission on Jury System Improvement formed by the Judicial Council of
California,the policymaking body for California courts,emphasized in its final report to the California Legislature that
an effective jury system is of critical importance to maintaining public respect for the rule of law;and
WHEREAS,a continuing and imperative goal for the courts,the bar,and civic organizations is to ensure that
jury selection and jury service are fair,effective,and not unduly burdensome on ourcommunity;and
WHEREAS,the legislature of the State of California has mandated that courts make jury service more
convenient by shortening the time a person is req*od to serve to one day or one trial on or before January 1,2000; and
WHEREAS,the One-Day/One-Trial term of jury service was adopted in Contra Costa County in 1993,in the
interest of reducing the burden of jury service for citizens and employers of thiscommunity; and
WHEREAS,the Jury Education Management Form,a statewide organization of jury managers operating
under the auspices of the California Association of Trial Court Administrators,in continuing support of the jury system,
is working in partnership with the judiciary and staff of all California trial courts to educate the public about jury
service and to recognize individuals who have generously committed their time in jury service; and
WHEREAS, Contra Costa County will host the 1999 Annual Conference of the Jury Education Management
Forum;and
WHEREAS,the California Legislature has declared that the second full week in May of each year shall be
proclaimed and celebrated as annual.Juror Appreciation Week throughout the state.
NOW,THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Supervisors, together with the California
Legislature,the Superior Court of California,County of Contra Costa,the Judicial Council of California,the Jury
Education Management Forum,and trial courts statewide,are committed to the following goals:
i Encouraging all citizens to support the jury system and appear when summoned for service,thereby
fWfdhng this most important civic responsibility shared by every member of a democracy;
♦ Applauding the efforts of jurors who fulfill this most important civic duty;
• Recognizing employers who fulfill their civic responsibility by supporting employees who are called upon
to serve as jurors;
i Ensuring that the responsibility of jury service is shared fairly among citizens and that a fair cross section
of the community is called for jury service;and
♦ Ensuring that all jurors are treated with the courtesy and respect due to a valued participant in the justice
process.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Supervisors of Contra Costa County,does hereby
SUPPORT and PROCLAIM the week of May 9-15, 1999,as Juror Appreciation Week in honor of the thousands of
citizens who support the jury system,thereby malting the cherished right of trial by jury a reality.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by unanimous vote of the Board members present on this 41 day of May, 1999.
P'l-'CanoTamilla,District#5 (C
Jo District GamYR.Uilkema, istnct#2
Donna Gerber=��
#3 Mark De Saulnier,District#4
I herebyt the foregoing is a true and correct copy of an order entered on the Minutes of said Board of
Supervisors on the aforesaid date.
Witness my hand and the Seal of the Board of Supervisors
affixed this 41 day of May, 1999.
PHIL BATCHELOFR County Administrator
and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors
Deputy erk