The Superior Court of Orange County is taking applications through January 20, 2017, for residents interested in serving their community. The candidates selected for service from throughout the county will take the oath of office on June 30, to serve for a one-year term.
“I encourage Orange County residents to take advantage of this exciting opportunity to work behind-the-scenes to improve Orange County,” said Assistant Presiding Judge Kirk Nakamura, who chairs the Grand Jury Recruitment/Selection Committee.
The Superior Court of Orange County is taking applications through January 20, 2017, for residents interested in serving their community. The candidates selected for service from throughout the county will take the oath of office on June 30, to serve for a one-year term.
“I encourage Orange County residents to take advantage of this exciting opportunity to work behind-the-scenes to improve Orange County,” said Assistant Presiding Judge Kirk Nakamura, who chairs the Grand Jury Recruitment/Selection Committee.
“I especially encourage residents of Anaheim, Buena Park, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Garden Grove, La Habra, Placentia, Santa Ana, and Westminster to apply, as these cities, located in Orange County Supervisorial Districts One and Four, historically provide fewer applicants.”
Public Information Officer, Gwen Vieau, said, “The best Grand Jurors are those committed to the work, who work well in a group, and who can write well and operate a computer.” Vieau continued, “There is a possibility the deadline to apply may be extended, so check online for current information at www.ocgrandjury.org.”
“We will have one panel. There are some criminal indictment hearings,” shared Vieau. “Mostly, it is civil oversight of local government by reviewing and evaluating the county, cities, and other local agencies such as jails, schools, and special districts.”
The stipend for grand jurors is $50 per day and most weeks the jurors serve for 30 to 35 hours, typically Monday through Friday. Jurors are off on all 13 court holidays and have two weeks off every year.
Recent Grand Jury investigations and cases include: Procurement, Big Budget, Low Priority; Office of Independent Review, What’s Next?, Dealing with Asbestos in Orange County Public Schools; Orange County’s $4.5 Billion Unfunded Pension Liability & Retirement Plans; Our Brother’s Keeper: A Look at the Care and Treatment of Mentally Ill Inmates in Orange County Jails; and Fostering a Better Foster Care System. Many more topics are listed on the webpage.
To qualify for service, potential jurors must be at least 18 years of age and a resident of Orange County for at least one year. Additional qualifications include that the applicant must be of sound judgment and good character, and have a sufficient knowledge of English.
Once the application is received, there will be an orientation and information session on February 3. Subsequently, judges will review all applications, selecting the most qualified applicants proportionately from the O.C. Supervisorial Districts, to move forward in the selection process. Top applicants will receive a letter by mail.
The O.C. Sheriff’s Department will conduct background checks of all top applicants, then the Grand Jury Recruitment/Selection Committee will conduct interviews and select members to serve as jurors and alternates.
The selection will be followed by fingerprinting, selection of foreperson, mandatory training for all members and alternates, and the Oath of Office ceremony where the 19-member Grand Jury will be impaneled on June 30. A more complete timeline may be obtained on the website.
In addition to the website, www.ocgrandjury.org, limited information is available by calling the hotline 657.622.6747. Potential jurors may visit the Jury Commissioner’s Office, 700 Civic Center Drive West, Santa Ana.
