'A Juror's Journey' Pilot Summary Report
Published
February 25, 2026
Public trust in the judicial system is declining. A 2024 Gallup poll revealed that Americans’ confidence in the courts fell from 59% in 2020 to just 35% in 2024. Persistent concerns about bias and underrepresentation in jury pools continue to erode trust. While most Americans agree that jury duty is a cornerstone of citizenship (Pew Research Center), only 8 to 10 million of the 30 million summoned each year actually serve (NCSC).
With 168 million people in the U.S. workforce, employers have a powerful opportunity to strengthen civic engagement and help rebuild trust in our courts. Workplaces remain one of the few spaces where people from diverse backgrounds collaborate daily toward shared goals. When employers demystify jury service by providing educational resources to employees, they can help ensure more representative juries — and a stronger democracy.
The Juror Education Project is a nonpartisan initiative designed to elevate public understanding and appreciation of the crucial role that juries and a healthy judiciary play in our society, while also increasing employee participation in jury service. In October 2025, we launched a pilot of “A Juror’s Journey” to validate content and measure its impact on perceptions of jury service and the judicial system. Thirty-two participants from 15 organizations — including legal professionals and individuals from diverse industries — completed the simulation, reviewed the Resource Guide, and shared feedback.
Key Stats
- 81% of pilot respondents chose a rating of 8 or higher when asked to rate the quality of the content on a scale of 1 to 10.
- 91% of pilot respondents chose a rating of 4 or 5 out of 5 when asked to rate the interactivity of the online simulation.
- 59% of participants from non-legal fields viewed jury service more or significantly more positively because of the course.
The Juror Education Project is just one pillar of The Civic Trust®, the Foundation’s initiative dedicated to strengthening civic knowledge across schools, workplaces, and communities nationwide. Through programs like Civics@Work — which includes The Juror Education Project and Civics Academy, an eight-week online course that helps employees simultaneously develop critical workplace skills and deepen their understanding of how our government functions — The Civic Trust is meeting Americans where they are. These efforts help address a critical gap in Americans' civics knowledge.
With the pilot complete, we are preparing to launch “A Juror’s Journey” nationwide in early 2026 — aligned with America’s 250th anniversary. We will leverage our national network of state and local chambers of commerce to make this resource available to organizations of all sizes. We will also partner with court systems, legal associations, and nonprofits to ensure broad reach and meaningful impact.
Get Involved
To learn more about bringing The Juror Education Project to your workplace or partnering with us, please reach out to The Civic Trust.
