Creating a jury information Web site

There are a variety of ways to construct a good juror information site. We’ve selected these model sites as a few examples of sites that are particularly user-friendly and extensive in their coverage. In terms of content, we recommend that such sites include

• a prominently placed, sincere thank you to the juror (and possibly to employers of jurors as well). It may also be wise to acknowledge that jury service may be inconvenient.
   

• a prominently placed explanation of the importance of jury service. A number of Court jury information sites discuss this, as well as offering reasons why individuals should be willing to serve to protect the system. See the compilation of the most frequently presented points.
   

• a description of juror responsibilities and reassurance that jury service does not require special skills.
   

• information about juror excusal and postponement requests, possibly offering the ability to submit these online and also check their status online.
   

• clear information about things potential jurors need to know before they arrive at court on the first day, including an explanation of how to fill out the questionnaire and where to return it; instructions for checking on the need to report; directions to the courthouse and parking information; information on how to dress and what to bring, including an alert that much time may be spent waiting; information on the availability of child care, etc.
   

• answers to most other basic questions jurors and potential jurors ask. In addition to the specific issues mentioned above, information about compensation and employment should definitely be included. Consult the court personnel who answer questions from jurors for suggestions on other issues to address. It may also be helpful to consult the compiled jury service FAQs  gleaned from court web sites.
   

• appropriate contact information if the juror has questions the site does not answer. Ideally, this will include a phone number as well as the e-mail address for an account that is checked, at minimum, once a day.
   

• a place for jurors to provide feedback to help improve jury service, possibly via an exit questionnaire.
   

• tips on coping with the stress of jury service and readjusting to everyday life after jury service.
   

• an overview of basic trial information, such as trial participants and processes and a glossary of court terms.
   

• references or links to relevant statutes, (e.g., on juror pay)
   

• basic information in a language besides English if it is widely spoken within the jurisdiction.

After a Web site has been live for several months, it may be useful to survey jurors to see if they used the Web site, and, if so, what they found helpful and what they wish had been there.

In addition to these recommendations, other good, basic Web practices should of course be followed. For instance, content should be kept current; the site should be accessible, easy to navigate, and easy to find from the Court’s homepage; and it should be easy for users to print or download from the site. Some sources that might be helpful with these matters include:

General Web Site Evaluation Criteria
These criteria for legal and governmental Web sites were developed by the Access to Electronic Legal Information Committee of the American Association of Law Libraries.

Research-Based Web Design and Usability Guidelines
This site provides over fifty research-based guidelines on Web design. Each states the underlying principle, cites and explains the supporting research, provides at least one example, and rates the strength of the evidence on a five point scale.

UseIt.com
Called the “King of Usability” by Internet Magazine, Jakob Nielsen’s site offers free access to his columns since 1995 (e.g., Usability 101, Ten Best Government Intranets, Top Ten Web Design Mistakes of 2003) and links to Web site design news, as well as descriptions of reports, books, and other resources available for a fee.

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
These design principles for accessible Web pages are presented by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)

WebXACT
Watchfire offers this free service that tests a single Web page for compliance with quality, accessibility, and privacy standards.  The same company also sells Bobby, which offers additional features, including testing whole Web sites.