In another sign that maybe, just maybe, things are starting to return to normal, the Illinois Supreme Court's Illinois Judicial Conference (IJC) today announced the release of a new jury orientation video which will serve as an introduction to jury service for all 24 Illinois Circuit Courts. The new video is linked above.
The Court's press release today quotes Cook County Circuit Court Judge Celia Gamrath, Chair of the IJC PR Task Force, as saying, "We found that many circuits in Illinois didn’t have a jury orientation video. Also, some of the videos out there had become dated."
Yeah. About that: Lester Holt narrated the juror orientation video that has long been used in Cook County. His son, Stefan, pictured at left, was probably still in short pants at the time the Cook County video was made. Now Stefan Holt anchors the 10:00 News on Channel 5.
Stefan Holt's NBC5 colleague, Lisa Parker, narrates the new video. Appellate Court Justice David Ellis wrote the script. Urbana attorney John E. Thies was the chair of the IJC jury video subcommittee.
Wow!! Truly the end of an era.... I was in the old jury video. I volunteered to work on the whole project at the CBA all those years ago. And I know we really felt we were doing a wonderful service for the bench and bar and going down in history, too. Thanks for embedding the link to it in your post; I haven't seen it for decades. And I just had a lot of fun watching it. It brought back really nice memories. The fun thing (besides making it) was how many times a year I heard from people who had jury duty and who let me know they saw me in the film! It was like being a star in a popular TV show. And my name is in the credits twice!
ReplyDeleteAnd it won’t be airing anytime in Cook County before 2022. #youliarevans
ReplyDeleteWhat is Tim Evans' plan to re-open the courts and genuinely resume jury trials? And no, circulating another puff piece press release won't cut it. There are no jury trials happening in the Daley Center and there is certainly nothing genuinely happening at 26th and California. Read the 4/28/2021 Injustice Watch article to learn the actual facts. Evans needs to retire. There is no shame in saying that it is past time for someone with the desire to truly lead instead of holding a place. Same goes for Anne Burke. Two politicians who have over-stayed their welcome and have lost their moral authority to lead.
ReplyDeleteSincerely,
I Ain't Mad, But I'm Not Drinking Kool Aid Neither
What's Latin for "where's my money?" And voir dire is insulting.
ReplyDelete"I got married by a judge, but I should have asked for a jury" is as outdated as it is sexist. The Supreme Court should be compelled to attend the same mandatory sensitivity training that it imposes on the lesser-developed apes of the judiciary.
ReplyDeleteThis video sucks eggs. Bring back Lester Holt!
ReplyDeleteYep, this video is bad. Lester did a much better job explaining the process in a clear and concise manner. Besides, everybody likes Lester.
ReplyDeletePerhaps Judge Ellis should stick to writing legal thrillers because the dialogue for this video is the pits.
ReplyDeleteI genuinely enjoyed Roger Ebert. I would read his reviews of movies I would never, ever see, just for Ebert's prose. It was wicked, delicious fun when he panned a movie; I liked those reviews better than his positive ones.
ReplyDeleteBut you know what? Ebert's byline was on all those reviews, good or bad. If an actor or Hollywood mogul had a beef with what he had said, they knew exactly who to talk to. Or never talk to again.
Sniping anonymously from the shadows is not the same. It's simply mean and mean-spirited.
Consider having the courage to use your right name if you wish to cast shade.
My name is “YOU!”
ReplyDeleteWithout commenting on the author of the dialogue, this move sucks. Bring back Lester Holt!
ReplyDelete