Juror Appreciation Week Highlights Role of Jury Duty in Democracy

The Hawaiʻi State Judiciary will mark Juror Appreciation Week from April 28 through May 2, thanking jurors for their service and highlighting the vital role jury duty plays in a democratic society.

“When people come together on a jury to decide a case, they play a vital role in upholding the rule of law,” said Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald.  “We are deeply grateful to those individuals who answer the call to serve.”

Many people are initially apprehensive about serving on a jury because of time away from work and family. However, judges consistently hear from jurors who, after serving, say the experience was meaningful and rewarding.

“It is one of the purest forms of democracy. We call together 12 regular people and say we need you to make a really important decision. Then they work together by themselves, and they figure it out. I think that going through that is an amazing experience,” said Jeffrey Crabtree, who served for almost ten years as a circuit court judge in Honolulu and is currently the director of the Judiciary’s Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution.

“Those juries make the best decisions, better than any decisions that I could make. So, I tell them that. They are the best judges and we really appreciate them judging cases,” said Circuit Court Judge Paul Wong. “There’s no justice and no justice system without juries. It is the finest way to achieve justice on the planet Earth.”

Jury Appreciation Week in Hawaiʻi coincides with Law Day which is celebrated around the country on May 1.

During Juror Appreciation Week, individuals reporting for jury duty at Kaʻahumanu Hale (the Circuit Court building in Honolulu) will be welcomed by appreciative judges and Judiciary staff. A banner will be displayed to thank them for their service, and jurors will receive a small snack as a token of appreciation.