Lt. Governor Newsom and CGJA launch Public Service Announcements

CALIFORNIA GRAND JURORS’ ASSOCIATION
Public Relations Committee

MEDIA ADVISORY
FEBRUARY 5, 2013

11am Superior Court, Room 617
400 McAllister, San Francisco


CONTACT: KEATH NORTH
PR COMMITTEE CHAIR
knorth@cgia.org
707.845.3612


CGJA LAUNCHES FEBRUARY GRAND JURY APPRECIATION MONTH
WITH LT. GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM

Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom joins the California Grand Jurors’ Association launch of Grand Jury Appreciation Month by taping 30 and 60 second public service announcements encouraging Californians to do their citizens’ duty and apply to serve on their county’s Civil Grand Jury.

The public service announcements will be previewed at the San Francisco Superior Court Building, posted on the CGJA’s web site www.cgja.org and distributed to broadcast media statewide. Audio-only versions will also be available.

Embedded in the State Constitution, requiring each county to impanel a civil grand jury, country grand juries have a powerful role in local government, as they are given the authority to review and investigate all local government entities to determine those services are provided in the most efficient and effective manner possible.

The jury’s important functions are only possible if citizens apply to volunteer their services—time and interest—to serve on a jury for one year, usually from June to July the following year. Qualifications to serve on a civil grand jury are basic: California citizen, 18 years of age, a good command of English, no criminal record and an inquiring mind with the ability to analyze facts to develop significantly achievable recommendations. The CGJA web site can guide applicants to each county court’s contact information.

Lt. Governor Newsom was an active supporter of the San Francisco Grand Jury during his tenure as San Francisco Mayor, and has now lent his voice to this recruiting message. The Lt. Governor believes in the civil grand jury system and encourages all interested and qualified citizens to consider volunteering in each of California’s 58 counties.

The California Grand Jurors’ Association is an all-volunteer non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the California grand jury system in its civil oversight role, through the training of grand jurors and education of the general public about the value of the grand jury system.