People in Galway can now make use of a new digital platform to answer a jury summons; to follow the status of their reply; and to catch real time updates on any changes to their jury service details.
The Courts Service has launched this new online portal in Galway following a trial programme in four counties in recent months.
The pilot has been a success and begins rolling out nationwide on a phased basis in late November, when it launched in Galway.
Courts Service CEO Angela Denning said, “To-date, within the four pilot counties, approximately 30% of people who responded to their Jury Summons did so using the new, online platform. This is higher than other systems internationally, and very high for a pilot scheme.”
“Encouragingly, feedback received from those who used the new platform has been positive”.
“The addition to our current paper-based system of a new, alternative digital platform is about offering people different options when responding to the jury summons”.
Ms Denning added that providing user-friendly options to engage with the courts service is at the the heart of their modernisation programme.
The platform will allow for 24/7 access to those who have received a summons, providing immediate updates on any changes in times, dates or jury cancellations, and immediate electronic responses to requests for excusals by people.
This new digital platform reduces the reliance on paper-based processes, and many outdated tech platforms, offering an improved customer service that is inclusive and provides for digital first solutions.
Speaking about potential benefits Ms Denning noted that they anticipate, “increased customer satisfaction and improved accessibility to our services.”
A centralised Jury Summons Office is now well-established in Castlebar, which helped with creating lean processes, and will help create a concentration of experience and knowledge over the years.
This helped the digital Jury project team in working to improve the current Jury system, with the new, online Jury platform.
The new platform has the potential to reduce the time of opening and handling of letters, and work hours dedicated to answering phone-calls freeing up staff for other front office, customer service and court duties.
No changes are being made to jury service selection, Jurors will continue to be selected at random from the register of electors. For further information on jury service please log onto courts.ie/jury-service.
