Pat Young, Retired Statewide Jury Coordinator, Alaska
Pat Young, the statewide jury coordinator for Alaska from 2007 to 2016, is the recipient of the National Center for State Courts’ (NCSC) 2018 G. Thomas Munsterman Award for Jury Innovation. The Munsterman Award recognizes states, local courts, individuals and organizations that have made significant improvements or innovations in jury procedures, operations and practices.
Ms. Young, who received the award today at a judicial conference in Girdwood, Alaska, demonstrated exceptional leadership and project management skills in bringing together many different parts of the court system to propose and implement several significant jury management innovations. She led a team to spearhead the transition to a postcard notification, prompting jurors to complete an online questionnaire. That innovation saves the state about $70,000 a year. She also was a key player in encouraging the court system to undertake the development of updated jury videos, and she was instrumental in coordinating the development of a juror services web page. What’s more, she developed judicial training on juror utilization, which was new to Alaska and has led to improved juror utilization numbers, greater efficiency for jury clerks and a more respectful juror experience.