eJournal

NCSC announces survey on jury trial improvements

The National Center of State Courts' (NCSC) Center for Jury Studies invites legal professionals to participate in a study of jury trial practices and procedures. This survey of trial judges and attorneys requests information about your most recent jury trial, including the type of case; the type of court and its location; the procedures employed in jury selection, trial and deliberations; and your opinions about the role of the jury in the American justice system.

Click here to take the study.

The survey should take approximately 10 minutes to complete. Responses will be kept completely confidential, and study findings will be published only in aggregate form. 

With any questions, contact Caisa Royer, court research associate of the NCSC Center for Jury Studies, at croyer@ncsc.org. For additional information, visit the Center for Jury Studies website.

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Participate in an evaluation of trial court judges 

Judges in the Probate and Family Court, Juvenile Court, and Housing Court in Middlesex and Suffolk Counties will be evaluated in March and April by the Supreme Judicial Court. Members of the bar will receive email invitations to participate in the evaluation process, which is critical to maintaining a high-quality judicial branch.

The evaluation program is an attorney's direct line to the judiciary. It is the best way for you to tell a judge and court leadership of your experiences before the judge. Each judge will sit down with the department chief justice to discuss his or her evaluation and individual professional development plan. 

According to the SJC, maintaining the anonymity of responding attorneys has been paramount to the success of the program. In addition, an improved online system now allows participants to complete evaluations on their phones.

For more information, contact Mona Hochberg, coordinator of judicial performance evaluation, at Mona.Hochberg@jud.state.ma.us.