FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

October 23, 2012

CONTACT:

Carmella Sabaugh 586-469-7939

Macomb County Clerk launches juror kiosks

Today U.S. Rep. Candice Miller was among the first in Michigan to check-in for jury duty on brand new kiosks unveiled today by Clerk/Register of Deeds Carmella Sabaugh. (Photo attached.) The Congresswoman was in the Macomb County Court Building after receiving a jury duty summons.

Jurors may now use the kiosks in the jury room to check-in for jury duty, replace a lost juror questionnaire and, at the end of the day, print their service letter. Approximately, 19,000 jurors visit the Macomb County Court Building annually. Sabaugh said the kiosks help jury staff check in jurors more quickly.

“The kiosks make service more efficient and enable staff to personally serve those who have questions, “said Sabaugh. “This is a good use of technology to serve the public and this team effort is thanks to support from our judges, county commission, and executive.”

“I was pleased Congresswoman Miller was one of the first to use our new jury room kiosks because she led the way with kiosk technology when she was Secretary of State by putting them in branch offices,” said Sabaugh.

Sabaugh has relied on innovation to continue providing good service after budget cuts results in losing 20 percent of her staff and almost $1 million (about 20 percent) from the budget since 2008. Earlier this year Sabaugh was recognized by Google as a “Government Transformer” for her use of technology.

Sabaugh said the self-serve kiosks will soon allow register of deeds customers to view and print their public real estate information, such as deeds or mortgage discharges, or even apply for a business, marriage, or concealed pistol license.

This is not Sabaugh’s first jury room innovation. She has also pioneered:

• One-day, one-trial system shortened jury duty from one week to one day for most jurors and saves money.
• Partnership with SMART provides free bus rides for jurors without transportation.
• Free wireless Internet service.
• Partnership with Mount Clemens Public Library provides free book delivery from any library in the county to jurors.
• Partnership with the business community provides restaurant-style pagers to jurors.

“My union staff and I have even more service improvements planned,” said Sabaugh, who recently announced plans to pay jurors electronically so they could use their juror pay to by goods and services while downtown, and to allow jurors to check-in at area restaurants and businesses.

The county’s two kiosks were provided by Courthouse Technologies, Ltd., which already provided the jury management system, and was selected through a public, competitive bid process. The total cost for both kiosks was $27,000 and an annual cost of $2,900.

Above: U.S. Rep. Candice Miller checks in for jury duty today as Macomb County
Clerk / Register of Deeds Carmella Sabaugh looks on.

Below: U.S. Rep. Candice Miller and Macomb County Clerk / Register of Deeds
Carmella Sabaugh stand next to a new juror kiosk unveiled today by Sabaugh.
Congresswoman Miller reported for jury duty today and was among the first to
use the new kiosks.

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