Clerk outlines juror program, payment process and courtroom accessibility concerns

The clerk of court summarized last year's jury activity and the office’s juror processes, saying 200 Richland County citizens were summoned for seven jury trials that totaled 10 days and that 60 jurors ultimately served. The clerk explained juror payments and the county’s current practice of issuing checks in compliance with statute: "We have to pay every juror... We must issue them a check by statute," the clerk said, and described the administrative burden of creating individual vendor records for juror payments in the county financial system.

To streamline payments the clerk said the county could use a Tyler third-party payments module that issues a card or debit-style payment and would reduce the fiscal department’s workload; the clerk said the office will pursue the option when jury volumes justify the setup. The clerk also relayed juror-exit survey results showing highest marks for treatment by court staff and lower marks for parking and courtroom audio/visibility; the office plans to include accessibility and facility improvements in the courthouse upgrade planning for 2027.