Computer Program and Method for Jury Selection

• US 20150046347A1
• Filed: 08/07/2013
• Published: 02/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jeb C. Griebat
• Original Assignee: Jeb C. Griebat
• Inventors: Griebat, Jeb C.
• Granted Patent: US 10,607,305 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/311
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/18 Legal services

Abstract

The disclosure details a computer program enabling parties to litigation to produce a questionnaire through an internet based website and enabling jurors to respond to the questionnaire through such website. The program comprises numerous code sequences that assist the court, a court reporter, the parties to litigation (and counsel), and the judge in the process of selecting and empaneling jurors from a plurality of candidates.

Claims

1. A computer program enabling parties to litigation to produce a questionnaire through an internet based website and enabling jurors to respond to the questionnaire through such website, the program comprising:

a code sequence operable to create a questionnaire by enabling the parties and the judge to litigation to add at least one question to a questionnaire through the website accessed through the internet;

a code sequence operable to transmit and present the questionnaire to each respective juror candidate through a website;

a code sequence operable to capture juror candidate responses to the questions on the questionnaire into respective digital video and audible files through a website;

a code sequence operable to transmit to the judge and the parties via the internet all of the respective juror candidate video and audible replies to the updated questionnaire through a website;

a code sequence operable to play the juror candidates'"'"' digital video and audible files to the judge and the parties through a website.

2. The computer program as in claim 1, further comprising:

a code sequence operable to provide a respective tag to the judge and each respective party to litigation;

wherein the tag comprises at least one of an email address of a respective juror and a cell phone number of a respective juror.

3. The computer program as in claim 1, further comprising a code sequence enabling access to the internet by using one of a personal computer or a cellular phone.

4. The computer program as in claim 1, further including:

a code sequence operable to capture digital video and audible files of the judge, the plaintiff attorney, and the defense attorney through a webcam and into the website enabling them to individually produce a captured digital video and audible file of them orally asking at least one of their respective questions on the questionnaire;

a code sequence operable to capture digital video files of the plaintiff and the defendant through a webcam and into the website enabling them to individually produce a captured digital video file of them sitting and blinking their eyes;

a code sequence operable to pair the judge'"'"'s, the plaintiff attorney'"'"'s, and the defense attorney'"'"'s captured digital video and audible files with their respective questions on the questionnaire;

a code sequence operable to correlate the at least one of the plaintiff'"'"'s digital video files and the defendant'"'"'s captured digital video files with their respective attorney'"'"'s questions on the questionnaire;

a code sequence operable to transmit and play the digital video and audible files of the judge, plaintiff attorney, defense attorney, plaintiff, and the defendant and the questionnaire to each respective juror candidate through a website;

a code sequence operable to play each digital video and audible file paired with its respective question on the questionnaire to each respective juror candidate through a website;

a code sequence operable to capture juror candidate responses to the digital video and audible files paired with their respective questions on the questionnaire into respective digital video and audible files through a website.

5. The computer program as in claim 4, wherein the webcam is connected to one of a personal computer or a cellular phone.

6. The computer program as in claim 1, further including:

a code sequence operable to play the at least one party'"'"'s digital video file with the at least one of the party'"'"'s respective attorney'"'"'s digital audible files at the same time to each respective juror candidate through a website.

7. The computer program as in claim 1, further including:

a code sequence operable to provide an initial proposed questionnaire for each party and the judge to review through a website accessed through the internet;

a code sequence operable to create an updated questionnaire by enabling the parties and the judge to litigation to add the at least one additional question to the initial proposed questionnaire through the website accessed through the internet.

8. The computer program as in claim 7, wherein the internet is accessed using one of a personal computer or a cellular phone.

9. The computer program as in claim 1, further including:

a code sequence operable to assign the at least one indicator to the at least one question on the updated questionnaire that was presented to the juror candidates for their responses;

the at least one assigned indicator represents which of the digital video files of the judge, plaintiff attorney, defense attorney, plaintiff or defendant appeared to the juror candidate through a website while the juror candidate responded to the respective question;

a code sequence operable to transmit to the judge, the parties, and professional jury consultants via the internet and through a website the updated questionnaire that was presented to the juror candidates for their responses which includes the at least one assigned indicator to the at least one question on the updated questionnaire;

the at least one assigned indicator represents which of the digital video files of the judge, plaintiff attorney, defense attorney, plaintiff or defendant appeared to the juror candidate through a website while the juror candidate responded to the respective question.

10. The computer program as in claim 1, further including:

a code sequence operable to enable at least one party to transmit the at least one additional question to a respective attorney for the at least one party through a website as a recommendation for the respective attorney to place the at least one question on the updated questionnaire.

11. The computer program as in claim 1, further including:

a code sequence operable to enable a party to litigation to select the at least one professional jury consultant through a website;

a code sequence operable to enable the at least one professional jury consultant to transmit the at least one additional question to his/her attorney through a website as a recommendation for his/her attorney to place the at least one question on the updated questionnaire.

12. The computer program as in claim 1, further including:

a code sequence enabling the judge to use the internet to delete the at least one question and digital video and audible file through a website;

a code sequence operable to transmit via the internet to the parties and court reporter the at least one question and digital video and audible file that was deleted by the Judge through a website.

13. The computer program as in claim 1, further including:

a code sequence operable to enable a party to the litigation to enter an objection to the at least one question through a website;

a code sequence operable to transmit the objection to the at least one question to the judge and to the parties through a website; and

,

a code sequence operable to transmit a ruling on the objection, the ruling made by the judge, to the parties through a website.

14. The computer program as in claim 1, further including:

a code sequence operable to transcribe all audible words of each captured digital video and audible file of the at least one of the judge, plaintiff attorney, defense attorney, plaintiff, or defendant into a typed format through a website;

a code sequence operable to transmit to the judge and the parties via the internet the captured digital video and audible files of the at least one of the judge, plaintiff attorney, defense attorney, plaintiff, or defendant and their transcribed audible words into a typed format through a website.

15. The computer program as in claim 1, further including:

a code sequence operable to transmit to the court reporter via the internet the captured digital video and audible files of the at least one of the judge, plaintiff attorney, defense attorney, plaintiff, or defendant through a website;

a code sequence operable to allow the court reporter to transcribe all audible words of each captured digital video and audible file of the at least one of the judge, plaintiff attorney, defense attorney, plaintiff, or defendant into a typed format through a website;

a code sequence operable to transmit to the judge and the parties via the internet the captured digital video and audible files of the at least one of the judge, plaintiff attorney, defense attorney, plaintiff, or defendant and their transcribed audible words into a typed format through a website.

16. The computer program as in claim 1, further including:

a code sequence operable to capture a digital picture through a website;

a code sequence operable to transmit the digital picture to at least one of the judge, plaintiff attorney, defense attorney, plaintiff, defendant, court administrator, and court reporter via the Internet.

17. The computer program as in claim 16, the digital picture depicting a piece of photo identification.

18. The computer program as in claim 1, further including:

a code sequence operable to transcribe each respective juror candidate audible response in a respective digital video and audible file into a typed format through a website;

a code sequence operable to transmit via the internet to the judge and the parties the respective video and audible replies and the typed formatted juror candidate responses through a website.

19. The computer program as in claim 1, further including:

a code sequence operable to transmit via the internet to the court reporter the respective candidate digital video and audible replies through a website;

a code sequence operable to allow the court reporter to transcribe each respective candidate audible response in a respective digital video and audible file into a typed format through a website;

a code sequence operable to transmit to the judge and the parties via the internet the respective video and audible replies and the typed formatted candidate responses through a website.

20. The computer program as in claim 1, further including:

a code sequence operable to transmit to the at least one of the plaintiff or the defendant via the internet the respective juror candidate digital video and audible replies through a website;

a code sequence operable to enable the at least one of the plaintiff or the defendant to transmit the at least one analysis of the at least one juror'"'"'s digital video and audible file to a respective attorney through a website as a recommendation for the respective attorney to keep or strike the juror in the jury selection process.

21. The computer program as in claim 1, further including:

a code sequence operable to enable a party to litigation to select the at least one professional jury consultant through a website;

a code sequence operable to transmit to the at least one professional jury consultant via the internet the respective candidate digital video and audible replies through a website;

a code sequence operable to enable the at least one professional jury consultant to transmit the at least one analysis of the at least one juror'"'"'s digital video and audible file to the respective litigant'"'"'s attorney through a website as a recommendation for the attorney to keep or strike the juror in the jury selection process.

22. The computer program as in claim 21, further comprising a code sequence that makes candidate responses accessible through the website;

and,

a code sequence rendering the responses available for viewing, listening, and analyzing.

23. The computer program as in claim 1, further including:

a code sequence operable to enable the judge to use the internet to excuse the at least one juror candidate from the plurality of juror candidates through a website;

a code sequence operable to transmit via the internet to the parties, court reporter, and court administrator the at least one name of a juror candidate excused from the plurality of candidates through a website.

24. The computer program as in claim 1, further including:

a code sequence enabling the parties to the litigation to use the internet to execute at least one respective strike from the plurality of candidates through a website; and

a code sequence operable to transmit via the internet to the judge and the parties the at least one respective strike made by the parties to the litigation through a website.

25. The computer program as in claim 1, further including:

a code sequence operable to enable the parties to enter an objection to the respective strike from the plurality of candidates through a website;

a code sequence operable to transmit via the internet the objection to the respective strike to the judge;

a code sequence operable to enable the judge to submit at least one ruling on at least one party'"'"'s objection to the respective strike through a website;

a code sequence operable to transmit via the internet a ruling made by the judge, the ruling made in response to a respective objection to the respective strike, to the parties to the litigation.

26. The computer program as in claim 1, further including:

a code sequence operable to enable the at least one of the judge, plaintiff attorney, defense attorney, plaintiff, defendant, a court reporter, a court administrator, or a professional jury consultant to assign the at least one identifier through a website to the at least one function completed through a website;

the at least one identifier represents, authenticates, or proves the person who completed the respective function through a website;

a code sequence operable to transmit the at least one identifier with its respective function through a website to the at least one of the judge, plaintiff attorney, defense attorney, plaintiff, defendant, court reporter, court administrator, or a professional jury consultant.

48. The Computer Program as in claim 1, further including

a code sequence operable to send notices through the internet from a host internet server to each respective party and the judge, the notices informing to produce a questionnaire through a website.

49. The Computer Program as in claim 1, further including

a code sequence operable to send notices through the internet from a host internet server to each respective party and the judge, the notices informing that the respective digital video and audible files of the juror candidate responses are available for viewing and listening through a website.

50. The computer program as in claim 7, further including a code sequence operable to send notices through the internet from a host internet server to each respective party and the judge, the notices informing that an initial questionnaire is available for review and update.

51. The computer program as in claim 11, further including a code sequence operable to send a notice to the at least one professional jury consultant, the notice informing that a questionnaire is available for review and update.

52. The computer program as in claim 14, further including a code sequence operable to alert the parties and the judge to the litigation that the captured digital video and audible files of the at least one of the judge, plaintiff attorney, defense attorney, plaintiff, or defendant and their transcribed audible words into a typed format are available for viewing and listening through a website.

53. The computer program as in claim 15, further including a code sequence operable to alert the parties to the litigation and the judge that the captured digital video and audible files of the at least one of the judge, plaintiff attorney, defense attorney, plaintiff, or defendant and their transcribed audible words into a typed format are available for viewing and listening through a website.

54. The computer program as in claim 18, further including a code sequence operable to alert the parties to the litigation and the judge that the respective digital video and audible files of the juror candidate responses and the typed formatted juror candidate responses are available for viewing and listening through a website.

55. The computer program as in claim 19, further including a code sequence operable to alert the parties to the litigation and the judge that respective the digital video and audible files of the candidate responses and the typed formatted candidate responses are available for viewing and listening through a website.

56. The computer program as in claim 19, further comprising a code sequence operable to send a notice to the at least one of the plaintiff or the defendant, the notice informing that the respective digital video and audible files of the juror candidate responses are accessible through a website.

57. The computer program as in claim 21, further including a code sequence operable to send a notice to the at least one professional jury consultant, the notice informing that the respective digital video and audible files of the candidate responses are accessible through a website.

27. A computer program enabling parties to litigation to produce a questionnaire through an Internet based website and enabling jurors to respond to the questionnaire through such website, the program comprising:

a code sequence operable to create a questionnaire by enabling the parties and the judge to litigation to add at least one question to a questionnaire through the website accessed through the internet on a personal computer or a cellular phone;

a code sequence operable to convert the questionnaire to an audible file;

a code sequence operable to transmit the audible file via the internet from the website to each respective candidate;

a code sequence operable to play the audible file to each respective candidate;

a code sequence operable to enable each respective candidate to give a respective response to each question of the updated questionnaire;

a code sequence operable to capture juror candidate responses to the digital video and audible files paired with their respective questions on the updated questionnaire into respective digital video and audible files through a website;

a code sequence operable to add each respective juror candidate video and audio file to the website;

a code sequence operable to transmit to the judge and the parties via the internet all of the respective juror candidate video and audible replies to the updated questionnaire through a website;

a code sequence operable to play the juror candidates'"'"' digital video and audible files to the judge and the parties through a website.

28. The computer program as in claim 27, further including a code sequence operable to pair a respective tag with the judge and each respective party to litigation;

wherein the tag comprises one of an email address or a cell phone number.

29. The computer program as in claim 27, wherein the website is accessed though the internet using one of a personal computer or a cellular phone.

30. The computer program as in claim 27, further including:

a code sequence operable to provide an initial proposed questionnaire for each party and the judge to review through a website accessed through the internet on a personal computer or a cellular phone;

a code sequence operable to create an updated questionnaire by enabling the parties and the judge to litigation to add the at least one additional question to the initial proposed questionnaire through the website accessed through the internet on a personal computer or a cellular phone.

31. The computer program as in claim 27, further including:

a code sequence operable to enable a party to transmit the at least one additional question to a respective party'"'"'s attorney through a website as a recommendation for the respective attorney to place the at least one question on the updated questionnaire.

32. The computer program as in claim 27, further including:

a code sequence operable to enable a party to litigation to select the at least one professional jury consultant through a website;

a code sequence operable to enable the at least one professional jury consultant to transmit the at least one additional question to a party'"'"'s attorney through a website as a recommendation for the attorney to place the at least one question on the updated questionnaire.

33. The computer program as in claim 27, further including:

a code sequence enabling the judge to use the internet to delete the at least one question through a website;

a code sequence operable to transmit via the internet to the parties and court reporter the at least one question that was deleted by the Judge through a website.

34. The computer program as in claim 27, further including:

a code sequence operable to enable a party to the litigation to enter an objection to the at least one question through a website;

a code sequence operable to transmit the objection to the at least one question to the judge and to the parties through a website; and

,

a code sequence operable to transmit a ruling on the objection, the ruling made by the judge, to the parties through a website.

35. The computer program as in claim 27, further including:

a code sequence operable to capture a digital picture of the at least one of the respective juror candidate'"'"'s driver'"'"'s license or photo identification card through a website;

a code sequence operable to transmit to the at least one of the judge, plaintiff attorney, defense attorney, plaintiff, defendant, court administrator, or court reporter via the internet the at least one digital picture of the at least one respective candidate'"'"'s driver'"'"'s license or photo identification card through a website.

36. The computer program as in claim 27, further including:

a code sequence operable to transcribe each respective juror candidate response into a typed format through a website;

a code sequence operable to transmit to the judge and the parties via the internet the respective video and audible replies and the typed formatted juror candidate responses through a website.

37. The computer program as in claim 36, wherein the juror candidate responses are available for viewing and listening through the website.

38. The computer program as in claim 27, further including;

a code sequence operable to transmit to the court reporter via the internet the respective candidate digital video and audible replies through a website;

a code sequence operable to allow the court reporter to transcribe each respective candidate audible response into a typed format through a website;

a code sequence operable to transmit to the judge and the parties via the internet the respective video and audible replies and the typed formatted candidate responses through a website.

39. The computer program as in claim 38, wherein the juror candidate response is stored within a respective digital video and a respective audible file.

40. The computer program as in claim 27, further including:

a code sequence operable to transmit to the at least one of the plaintiff or the defendant via the interne the respective juror candidate digital video and audible replies through a website;

a code sequence operable to enable the at least one of the plaintiff or the defendant to transmit the at least one analysis of the at least one juror'"'"'s digital video and audible file to his/her respective attorney through a website as a recommendation for his/her attorney to keep or strike the juror in the jury selection process.

41. The computer program as in claim 27, further including:

a code sequence operable to enable a party to litigation to select the at least one professional jury consultant through a website;

a code sequence operable to transmit to the at least one professional jury consultant via the internet the respective candidate digital video and audible replies through a website;

a code sequence operable to enable the at least one professional jury consultant to transmit the at least one analysis of the at least one juror'"'"'s digital video and audible file to his/her respective attorney through a website as a recommendation for his/her attorney to keep or strike the juror in the jury selection process.

42. The computer program as in claim 27, further including:

a code sequence enabling the judge to use the internet to excuse the at least one juror candidate from the plurality of juror candidates through a website;

a code sequence operable to transmit via the internet to the parties, court reporter, and court administrator the at least one name of a juror candidate excused from the plurality of candidates through a website.

43. The computer program as in claim 27, further including:

a code sequence enabling the parties to the litigation to use the internet to execute at least one respective strike from the plurality of candidates through a website; and

a code sequence operable to transmit via the internet to the judge and the parties the at least one respective strike made by the parties to the litigation through a website.

44. The computer program as in claim 27, further including:

a code sequence operable to enable the parties to enter an objection to the respective strike from the plurality of candidates through a website;

a code sequence operable to transmit via the internet the objection to the respective strike to the judge;

a code sequence operable to enable the judge to submit at least one ruling on at least one party'"'"'s objection to the respective strike through a website;

a code sequence operable to transmit via the internet a ruling made by the judge, the ruling made in response to a respective objection to the respective strike, to the parties to the litigation.

45. The computer program as in claim 27, further including:

a code sequence operable to enable the at least one of the judge, plaintiff attorney, defense attorney, plaintiff, defendant, a court reporter, a court administrator, or a professional jury consultant to assign the at least one identifier through the website to the at least one function completed through the website;

the at least one identifier represents, authenticates, or proves the person who completed the respective function through the website;

a code sequence operable to transmit the at least one identifier with its respective function through a website to the at least one of the judge, plaintiff attorney, defense attorney, plaintiff, defendant, court reporter, court administrator, or a professional jury consultant.

46. The computer program as in claim 27, further including

a code sequence operable to send notices through the internet from a host internet server to each respective party and the judge, the notices informing them to produce a questionnaire through a website.

47. The computer program as in claim 27, further including

a code sequence operable to send notices through the internet from a host internet server to each respective party and the judge, the notices informing that the respective digital video and audible files of the juror candidate responses are available for viewing and listening through a website.

58. The computer program as in claim 30, further including a code sequence operable to send notices through the internet from a host internet server to each respective party and the judge, the notices informing that an initial questionnaire is available for review and update.

59. The computer program as in claim 32, further including a code sequence operable to send a notice to the at least one professional jury consultant, the notice informing that an initial questionnaire is available for review and update.

60. The computer program as in claim 36, further including a code sequence operable to alert the parties to the litigation and the judge to that respective the digital video and audible files of the juror candidate responses and the typed formatted juror candidate responses are through a website.

61. The computer program as in claim 38, further including a code sequence operable to alert the parties and the judge to the litigation that respective the digital video and audible files of the candidate responses and the typed formatted candidate responses are available for viewing and listening through a website.

62. The computer program as in claim 40, further including a code sequence operable to send a notice to the at least one of the plaintiff or the defendant, the notice informing that the respective digital video and audible files of the juror candidate responses are available for viewing, listening, and analyzing through a website.

63. The computer program as in claim 41, further including a code sequence operable to send a notice to the at least one professional jury consultant, the notice informing that the respective digital video and audible files of the candidate responses are available for viewing, listening, and analyzing through a website.