缅北禁地

Feb 21, 2025 By Zach Petroff 3 min read

An elected official in Fayette County has suggested abolishing the offices held by jury commissioners, a move he said would save the county money.

“I’m extremely frustrated that eliminating the jury commissioners position isn’t even on the agenda,” said Recorder of Deeds Jon Marietta during the public comment period of Thursday’s commissioners’ meeting.

Marietta said eliminating the elected jury commissioners positions, currently held by Democrat Trinette Schmidt Cunningham and Republican Janet Dean Trees, would result in a savings to taxpayers.

All three commissioners and the county solicitor contended the row offices were an important part of the court system..

“We lawyers know that the heart of the justice system is the integrity of our jury class and the constitutional requirement that jurors need to be picked properly so they are representative, they are diverse, they are equal and everyone has a fair opportunity to serve on a jury,” said Solicitor Jack Purcell.

Jury commissioners select and summon potential jurors for criminal and civil trials in the Court of Common Pleas. They serve four-year terms in the part-time position. Candidates for the two seats will appear on the ballot this year.

In 2013, the state Legislature gave counties the right to find other ways to select a pool of potential jurors. The Altoona Mirror reported earlier this month that Blair County is considering joining a majority of Pennsylvania counties that have elected to do away with jury commissioners.

Marietta questioned how the county justified the salaries of two employees whose primary responsibilities included “greeting jurors and stuffing envelopes.”

“Does this really warrant a taxpayer-funded salary along with health benefits? How often do these individuals actually need to be at the courthouse? It’s a part-time job,” he said.

Cutting the positions, he said, could save the county $60,000 annually. Each jury commissioner is paid $14,859 annually.

Commissioner Scott Dunn said jury commissioners are responsible for a number of things, including sending out about 600 summons a month for criminal and civil court terms, as well as trials that may not be scheduled during typical court weeks. They also field calls from jurors and potential jurors, and serve as a backup to the clerk of courts, he said.

Dunn said the commissioners looked at the possibility of eliminating the position during last year’s budget talks, but learned the $60,000 saved in salaires would result in an estimated $65,000 expenditure to hire someone to handle those duties.

Commissioners Vincent Vicites and Dave Lohr also agreed it would not make financial sense to eliminate the office.

Marietta estimated that abolishing the positions could save the county “more like $100,000” due to the elimination of underlying cost. He also suggested that instead of hiring more people to cross-train current employees on the task of the commissioners.

“My primary focus has been finding ways to save the county money,” Marietta said.

Purcell explained that the office of jury commissioner was established to ensure a system of checks and balances. The commissioner acts independently of judges or lawyers in gathering a pool of potential jurors for trials, he said.

“Juries are the foundation of our democracy, they are the foundation of our justice system, they’re the ones that make the decision on whether someone is guilty or innocent. Whether they lose their freedom, and in some cases, their life,” he said.

“I know a lot of people think (jury duty) a burden but it’s a burden that is necessary for our … system of justice and really, our system of government,” Purcell said.