It’s a Full-Court Press in Jury Assembly Room

The jury assembly room at Orange County Superior Court is so overcrowded that when one prospective juror collapsed a few months ago, paramedics found it impossible to wade through the hundreds of people to reach the victim.

So they finally had to evacuate the entire room.

Most days inside the assembly room are less dramatic but no less crowded. The room is designed to hold 214 but often contains double or triple that number, leaving many prospective jurors to sit on the floor or lean against the walls.

Court administrators have expressed alarm, saying the overcrowding creates nightmarish logistic problems for them and poses a safety risk for jurors.

“It’s congested, it’s confusing and I think it’s demeaning to the judicial system,” said Presiding Superior Court Judge Theodore E. Millard. “People should have a certain respect for the courts, and the courts should have facilities that are suitable to carry on the serious business that we do.”

Tonight, the courts will ask county supervisors for $1.5 million to build a second jury assembly room in an effort to relieve the overcrowding.

However, it remains unclear whether the county can afford the project, especially as it struggles to recover from bankruptcy and to provide adequate funding for basic court operations.

Overcrowding has worsened in recent years as officials began to encounter increasing difficulty in finding jurors who are both able and willing to serve on trials. About 400,000 prospective jurors were summoned to the courthouse last year, compared to fewer than 200,000 in 1992.

The courts reduced the term of jury service from four weeks to just one trial in an attempt to make jury service easier. But the policy requires more people to travel through the jury assembly room.

On Monday, for example, Mary Watland of Huntington Beach waited with more than 400 others in a line that snaked through the courthouse’s central lobby and out the front door toward the Plaza of the Flags.

“I was astonished when I saw it,” said Watland, who waited in line 15 minutes before being ushered into the assembly room.

At least Watland found a seat. Scores of her fellow candidates are often resigned to lean against walls until they are dispatched to their assigned courtrooms.

Administrators said Monday’s jury assembly ran smoothly compared to busier days, when more than 1,000 potential jurors line up around the courthouse. On the worst days, officials race to place prospective jurors in any available space, from the cafeteria to empty courtrooms and offices.

The assembly room’s packed conditions sometimes overwhelm the air-conditioning system, heightening the discomfort level.

“We get worried. It’s so tight in there. The airflow isn’t designed for the number of people we have,” said Pat Hill, the court’s assistant executive officer for judicial support. “We have to be careful that no one hyperventilates.”

The incident involving the collapsed prospective juror in the back of the packed room heightened safety concerns.

“I’ve been in a panic ever since,” said Alan Slater, the Superior Court executive officer. “We really try to make people comfortable. But in this climate, it’s difficult.”

Perhaps the worst day in recent memory was the Tuesday after Labor Day, when 1,500 to 2,000 arrived for jury duty, about 1,200 for potential service on one death-penalty case. They waited in lines that stretched outside the courthouse, while parking lots and nearby streets were jammed.

Beyond safety concerns, Slater expressed fear that the situation will discourage prospective jurors from serving. The courts regularly receive complaints from jurors about the assembly process.

“We have to summon quite a number of people just to get the [number we need],” said Hill.

But several people waiting in line Monday said that the inconveniences would not affect their willingness to serve.

“I think they are doing the best they can under the circumstances,” Watland said. “People are helpful and move you through quickly. . . But I think they should have a seat for everyone.”

The $1.5-million expansion project would create a second jury room in a portion of the courthouse’s third-floor cafeteria area, doubling the overall assembly space. The courts are asking that the money come from the county’s general fund, which is far from flush.

“I’m not prepared to support it at this time,” said Supervisor Marian Bergeson. “I’ve looked through the budget, and I don’t see anything in the general fund that can accommodate [the request].”

Trial court funding has been increasingly difficult for the county. The Legislature has yet to determine how much it will provide to the courts this fiscal year, making it difficult for the county to finalize its budget.

The 1996-97 county budget provides $107.9 million for trial courts, only a portion of what is needed to pay for 12 months of operations. But supervisors on Tuesday will consider a proposal to increase the county’s contribution by $21 million. Officials said the added funds would get the courts through next summer if the state provides an additional $24 million.

The county’s $21 million would come from a contingency fund and from $26 million reserved for early repayment of bankruptcy-related debts.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Order in the Court

The Central Court in Santa Ana handles 84% of all the county’s superior and municipal court jury trials. But its jury room is small, so prospective jurors often pass the time sitting on the floor or leaning against the wall. Orange County jury duty facts:

*--*

All courts Central Court Jurors summoned yearly 1995 605,000 353,000 1996 projection 610,000 400,000 Percentage of those summoned who report 20% 18% Jury cases tried 1995 2,500 2,100 1996 projection 2,600 2,150

*--*

ALL COURTS

* Average case length: 4-5 days

* Hours of service: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; lunch varies from 1 to 1 1/2 hours

* Average amount paid to jurors: $16.50, including mileage

* Percentage sworn to a case: 17%-20%

* Most popular activities while waiting: Reading, needlework, paperwork, working via laptop computer

* Prospective jury pool: 1.1 million

COURTS AND COURTROOMS

*--*

Location Courtrooms Central Santa Ana 58 Harbor Newport Beach 12 North Fullerton 11 West Westminster 8

*--*

Source: Orange County Central Court; Researched by JANICE L. JONES / Los Angeles Times