New jury calling system unveiled in several W.Va. counties

KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - The process of jury duty is changing in parts of West Virginia, as court systems are trying to take a more modernized approach to notify jurors they need their help.

Your civic responsibility of jury duty now looks different than it used to in some areas of West Virginia, as several counties have implemented a new “Juror Calling System.” One of the most recent counties putting it to use is Kanawha County.

“Previously, we had a call in system our jurors used, and it was a burden for jurors to call every night to find out whether or not they were directed to report,” said Kanawha County Circuit Clerk Cathay Gatson.

Juror Calling is a new automated notification system to summon jurors, much like the texts or push alerts you’re used to getting from your school system or your doctor’s office.

“It launches it and within just a few minutes we are starting to get reports of all the contacts that were successful, if a call didn’t go through,” Gatson said.

This modernized and more streamlined approach is designed to help the juror know when they’re needed, and the courts know if they’re getting ahold of you.

“We did hear from our jurors that it was quite inconvenient to call in, and sometimes they would forget, and that prompted us to have to make reminder calls,” Gatson said.

Jurors are still summoned initially in the traditional manner by mail with a questionnaire. The juror calling system is only after they are qualified.

“It’s just on an as-needed basis, the court administrator’s office lets us know the number of jurors needed for a particular trial,” Gatson said.

This system is in place in Kanawha, Cabell and Putnam counties, and many are transitioning. This system could be coming to where you live soon, if it’s not there already.

Just last year, Kanawha County Circuit Court had to summon nearly 7,500 jurors for all of the trials they had going on. They’re hoping this system makes that process faster.

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