The Deschutes County Circuit Court will roll out a new online interface and mailing format to summon jurors beginning Monday.

Now, instead of receiving a paper summons in a sealed envelope, prospective jurors will receive their summons via a postcard that contains instructions for how to access a new online juror interface, said Angie Curtis, trial court administrator.

“Circuit courts across the state are changing to a new case management system to help manage jury duty. As part of that process, we had the opportunity to update the summons process,” Curtis said. “We are hopeful that this will increase the number of jurors who respond to their summons and that it will save them time when they do that.”

The instructions contained on the postcard, which can be accessed with a QR code, will direct recipients to a new online portal called Juror eResponse. There, residents can complete juror forms, opt-in for text or email notifications, obtain attendance slips and request deferrals or excusals. For individuals without access to the internet, questionnaires may still be completed when reporting to jury service, Curtis said.

Another benefit of the new jury summons process is that it saves both the court and the public time and money.

“It will be less expensive to mail the postcards than to mail people summons with the letter. It will also save (money for) jurors who respond, because they won’t need to use a stamp to return their jury summons,” Curtis said.

The new system will allow people to receive texted updates about jury service, which will be another convenience, Curtis said.

But opting-in for text messages doesn’t mean anyone from the Deschutes County Circuit Court will summon residents by phone or email. The county advises residents that any attempt to contact prospective jurors outside the new interface to obtain personal information is a scam.

“It’s important for the public to know that there are some scams going around posing as the courts, contacting people in regard to jury service … The courts will never contact you by phone, email or other means to ask for personal or financial information, to demand money for failure to respond to summons, or threaten you with arrest. If you receive a phone call like that, those are indicators of a scam,” Curtis said.