To make jury service less tedious and increase the number of people who respond to a summons for jury duty, courthouses are offering prospective jurors some of the comforts of home or office, such as hookups for laptop computers, while they wait to get picked for a case. Judith E. Cucco, a telecommunications professional on her first day of jury duty, said recently as she tapped away in the airy former church that serves as the juror assembly room for the Somerset County Courthouse. It also offers big-screen cable television and free beverages. Jury assembly rooms in the new courthouses in Orlando and Kissimmee, Fla., include cable, data ports, free phones and free fax machines. When San Francisco built a new courthouse four years ago, Alan Carlson oversaw the construction of an assembly room that features data ports and etched-glass artwork for the enjoyment of the prospective jurors.
Some courts try to promote nearby shopping and dining spots.
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