Special Report: Website glitch affecting potential jurors in El Paso County

Jury duty. Along with paying taxes, it’s one of those things Americans just have to do.

ABC-7 has learned a website glitch and unclear instructions are making it hard for some El Pasoans to comply with their civic duty.

“I think it’s the process that’s broken,” said Elizabeth Milian after she was recently summoned for jury duty, “I don’t understand. You fill out the form and then they tell you they didn’t receive it.”

Milian said she filled and submitted the jury questionnaire online, but when she showed up to the courthouse, a jury duty official told her they had not received it.

“There was this huge section of people sitting there, all saying the same thing: ‘I know I filled it out. I know I’m not going crazy,'” said Milian.

Jury Duty Bailiff Victor Ramirez summons potential jurors. Ramirez said it is vital for jurors to submit their questionnaires, either by mail or online, at least a week before their summons date. This will give attorneys enough time to review them.

Milian said she filled out the questionnaire online twice and both times the court said it did not receive it, forcing her to reschedule twice. “It is time consuming,” she said, “There is a problem and it needs to be fixed.”

ABC-7 spoke with the Mike Izquierdo, the Executive Director for the Council of Judges. Izquierdo, who handles complaints from potential jurors, confirmed a juror recently complained she was having the same problem Milian experienced.

The council looked into the issue in 2014 and discovered the online questionnaire system logs potential jurors off after 20 minutes. Some users are left with the impression they successfully submitted their forms.

“I think I would have noticed that problem,” said Milian, still skeptical the county will solve the problem.

According to Ramirez, jurors who properly submit questionnaires get a message with their summons date. He checked county records and learned the system shows Milian logged on several times, but never submitted her questionnaire.

The council of judges has implemented a new procedure to prevent people from having to reschedule because of missing questionnaires. The jury duty bailiff will now have potential jurors with similar problems fill out the questionnaire in person.

“We’re still going to send them a new questionnaire as a reminder,” said Ramirez, “But they don’t have to fill out a new summons because the one they fill out (in person) is going to be on file.”

The council of judges hopes this will solve the problem.

Milian is not convinced. “There’s a disconnect somewhere,” she said.