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Cabell County jury turnout improves significantly

Herald-Dispatch file photo Cabell Circuit Judge Paul Farrell Sr.
Herald-Dispatch file photo
Cabell Circuit Judge Paul Farrell Sr.

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — More than 100 people showed up for jury duty Monday in Cabell County, a welcome change in the county’s ongoing struggle to convince residents to fulfill that civic duty.

Cabell Circuit Judge Paul T. Farrell estimated 125 people appeared at Monday’s jury orientation. Only 10 were excused, leaving the court with 115 potential jurors for any upcoming trials.

That is nearly double the size of more recent jury pools, including one instance last year when the court qualified just 50 jurors.

Farrell believed multiple factors played into this week’s better showing, including the court boosting its number of initial summonses from 350 to 450. The boost followed two public call-ins of absent jurors, the use of the deputy sheriff and ample news coverage of the county’s problem.

“We’re pleased,” Farrell said.

This week’s qualification of 115 potential jurors equates to a jury yield of 25.5 percent, the county’s best showing of late when measuring those qualified versus the number of summonses sent.

The national average is 45.2 percent for courts covering a similar population, according to the most recent numbers compiled by the National Center for State Courts.

Cabell County’s percentage had been as low as 14.2 percent…

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