Escambia County Bar Association, AL Contact: Charles R. Godwin, Attorney At Law President, Escambia County Bar Association Escambia County Bar Association 10388 Highway 31, Atmore, AL 36502 SENIORS SUMMONED FOR JURY DUTY Activity Summary: 1998 Law Week activities were a continuation of a program consistently followed for more than (10) years in Escambia County, Alabama in which all of the high school seniors in the six (6) major schools serve as jurors and/or otherwise participate in criminal trials. Members of the bar go into the schools and speak to the seniors about jury duty and the specific issues involved in the trial of the Escambia County criminal cases and judicial proceedings in general. A deputy sheriff serves summonses on the high school students for jury duty. They appear at the Escambia County courthouse at the appointed time. After the seniors are seated in the Escambia County courtroom, opening remarks are given by the President of the Escambia County Bar Association. This year the remarks included historical background information and factual highlights regarding Law Day found at page 4 of the Planning Guide. This year’s theme, "Celebrate Your Freedom" which emphasized "the protections that assure that all Americans receive a fair trial" could not have been more appropriate for the Escambia County, Alabama 1998 Law Week program. After opening remarks, the students viewed news coverage on video (video enclosed) of last year’s Law Week activities and responded favorably. They saw former classmates taking their duties as jurors seriously which inspired this year’s seniors to do the same. Next, the pre-selected jurors are impaneled and serve. While that jury is deliberating following the trial, a question-and-answer session is conducted by one of the judges with the remaining seniors in the audience. The attorneys are introduced prior to the Escambia County commencement of the trials on each of the two days. A social event for attorneys and their spouses/dates was held on Friday night May 8, 1998. Many individuals and groups coordinate this event each year. Court personnel prepare summonses for jury duty, which are served on the seniors by deputy sheriffs. Members of the bar go into the schools in advance of the trials to make presentations related to the trials. High school administrators, 12th grade Government/Social Studies teachers and county school bus drivers’ act diligently in preparing the seniors for their arrival at the Escambia County courthouse. The local Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company has donated refreshments for several years. The Escambia County cost of the project was none. The local Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company donated refreshments as they have done in prior years. The school system provided the buses to transport the students as this is considered an annual field trip for the senior classes. The lawyers volunteered their time and consequently no direct cost was budgeted or funds expended. The attorneys, their dates and spouses did contribute to the Escambia County cost of the meal and other refreshments on the occasion of the social event Friday evening, May 8, 1998. A positive impact is consistently made on the senior classes of all the schools in the Escambia County each year. WEAR Channel 3 TV news coverage (video enclosed) was telecast to innumerable thousands of viewers along the Gulf Coast and South Alabama, Northwest Florida and Eastern Mississippi. The judicial system is introduced in a positive manner. The attorneys, judges, court and law enforcement personnel are introduced and presented in a positive manner. There is hands on participation by members of the senior class. This event has become a very popular field day for the senior classes of the schools each year. This tradition in Escambia County followed in 1998 has resulted in a very important learning experience for young persons approaching the age of majority and/or voting and jury duty age. The program has consistently worked so well and has received such positive feed back and recognition that we intend to implement it again in the foreseeable future. Sample Programs Home | By Audience | By Location | By Sponsoring Organization