County Shows Appreciation for Jurors

Special week recognizes importance of jurors to justice system

Jurors are valued by the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas every single day that Court is in session, but the County judges and Delaware County Council set aside special days in June to display their respect and gratitude during statewide Juror Appreciation Week.

President Judge Chad Kenney and County Executive Director Marianne Grace praised jurors and presented gifts to members of the jury pool on Delaware County Juror Appreciation Day, held June 3 in the Jury Lounge at the Government Center in Media.

“You play a vital role in our justice system and we have profound respect and gratitude for our jurors,” said President Judge Kenney, who addresses all jurors on a daily basis regarding their role. There were 189 jurors on hand for Juror Appreciation Day at the Courthouse.

Mrs. Grace also praised the jurors for taking the time, setting aside personal business, to respond to the call to serve on a jury. She noted that an estimated 15,000 residents serve on Delaware County jury duty per year. Statewide, more than 225,000 Pennsylvanians report for jury duty and more than 60,000 serve as jurors in both civil and criminal trials.

President Judge Kenney joined Jury Administrator Nancy Alkins and Jury Commissioner Lillian Griffin in presenting prizes to the jurors by pulling names from the Jury Wheel, once used to select jurors in Delaware County. The wooden wheel was replaced by computers in 1978.

Jurors won prizes that included gift certificates from various Media businesses and restaurants. The Jury Administration of the County Court Administrator’s Office, under the supervision of Gerald C. Montella, works with the Media Business Authority to collect gift prizes throughout the borough.

Ms. Alkins and her staff worked with Zubair Kahn, executive director of the Media Business Authority, to solicit prizes from Media businesses.

The week of June 3-7 was designated Juror Appreciation Week by the Pennsylvania Senate.

The resolution read in part: “Whereas, since the Bill of Rights was ratified in December, 1791, the jury has acted as an unbiased finder of truth and the most elemental representative body of all citizens and thus has played a pivotal role in balancing the scales of justice…be it resolved that the Senate designate the week of June 3-7 as Juror Appreciation Week in Pennsylvania.”