Judge Beth W. Jantz
Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies
- Rules last changed:
Document Format Requirements19 rules
The maximum number of characters that may be used in the <exhibit number> and the <exhibit part> field is 4 each. The maximum number of characters that may be used in the <exhibit description> field is 200.
Specific Format: The exhibit name(s) for defendant(s) begin with alpha characters.
General Format: <exhibit number> - <exhibit part>_<exhibit description>.<file extension>
Specific Format: The exhibit name(s) for plaintiff(s) begin with numerical characters.
For any exhibit that is marked for identification, do not include “(ID)” in the exhibit number or description of the electronic copy submitted for use in JERS.
Counsel are responsible to ensure that the electronic version of each exhibit available for viewing by jurors during deliberations is an exact replica of what was admitted in evidence.
JERS accepts .pdf, .jpg, .avi, .wmv, .mpg, .mp3, .wma, .wav files; .xls files not accepted.
Formatting
- •Spreadsheets must be saved as PDF or provided as paper
Court's wording
JERS accepts these common file types: Documents and Photographs: .pdf, .jpg. Video and Audio Recordings: .avi, .wmv, .mpg, .mp3, .wma, .wav JERS does NOT except .xls (excel) file types. Spreadsheets will need to be saved as a PDF or provided as a paper document.
Multiple parties: coordinate exhibit numbering (A001, B001, etc.).
- Exhibits
Formatting
- •Multiple parties must coordinate exhibit numbering
Court's wording
If there are multiple parties on a particular side, then you must coordinate with your co-plaintiff's or co-defendant's attorney to generate a consecutively numbered set of exhibits. For example, Defendant 1 would be A001, A002, A003, etc.; Defendant 2 would use B001, B002, B003, etc.
Exhibits must be named: exhibit number_underscore_description.file extension.
Court's wording
To use JERS, both sides must use the following exhibit-naming convention, which also will serve as the file name for the digital file: the exhibit number, followed by an underscore, followed, if you wish, by a neutral description of the exhibit (the description is not required; it is optional). The convention is thus: <exhibit number>__<exhibit description>.<file extension>
All exhibits shall be described using neutral and non-adversarial terms.
For any unlisted exhibit introduced following direct examination of witnesses at trial, counsel should, whenever possible, have an electronic copy available for the courtroom deputy.
The exhibits should be on a CD/DVD or USB drive and named using the proper naming convention referenced above.
- Exhibit
Formatting
- •Exhibits must be named using the proper naming convention
The exhibit description field is limited to 200 characters.
Plaintiff(s)/Government: (Exhibit name(s) begin with numerical characters) General Format: <exhibit number> - <exhibit part>_<exhibit description>.<file extension>
- Exhibits
Formatting
- •Exhibit names begin with numerical characters for plaintiff/government exhibits
Defendant(s): (Exhibit name(s) begin with alpha characters) General Format: <exhibit number> - <exhibit part>_<exhibit description>.<file extension>
- Exhibits
Formatting
- •Exhibit names begin with alpha characters for defendant exhibits
While exhibit stickers are used for paper/physical exhibits, the electronic exhibits provided for use in JERS should not display the exhibit numbering stickers. The exhibit description given to the electronic version replaces the use of exhibit stickers.
The neutral description cannot be more than 200 characters (hopefully, you'll never come close to that limit).
Formatting
- •Exhibit description limited to 200 characters
Try to avoid "group exhibits." A document with multiple pages cannot be separated into subparts once it is entered into the JERS system. If there is a reasonable chance that you will be offering only part of a multiple-page exhibit, use
- Exhibits
Formatting
- •Avoid group exhibits
- •Multi-page documents cannot be separated once entered into JERS
It is recommended that plaintiffs use consecutive numbers to designate exhibits and defendants use letters to distinguish exhibits. (However, using consecutive numbers for both parties is acceptable.) In a case in which you will have more than ten exhibits, use leading zeroes when numbering your exhibits (001, 002, etc.). And “exhibit part may be used, such as 001-A.
- Exhibits
Formatting
- •Plaintiffs: consecutive numbers; defendants: letters
- •Leading zeros for exhibits >10 (001, 002, etc.)
- •Exhibit parts allowed (e.g., 001-A)
Document Filing Requirements13 rules
At the conclusion of trial, counsel will provide the courtroom deputy with a list of exhibits to release to the jury through JERS
- Document
- List of exhibits released to jury
Include
- •Exhibit list
Prior to the start of any trial day, counsel shall provide the courtroom deputy with a list of exhibits entered the previous day.
- Document
- List of exhibits entered previous day
Must include
- •Exhibit list
At the conclusion of trial, counsel will provide the courtroom deputy with a list of exhibits to release to the jury through JERS, and with a second list, where appropriate, of any paper and physical exhibits to be made available during deliberations.
- Document
- List of paper and physical exhibits
Include
- •Exhibit list
Each attorney must sign an Attorney Certification before electronic exhibits are released to the jury through JERS.
Court's wording
At the end of the trial and prior to the electronic exhibits being released for the jury through JERS, each attorney must sign an Attorney Certification verifying that the exhibits contained in JERS are exact replicas of what was admitted in evidence.
One last thing: a physical object, of course, will not be imported into JERS, but you should still assign a consecutively numbered exhibit designation to it, along with a neutral description. Then create a one-page .pdf with the exhibit number and neutral description on it, and submit those exhibits as part of the JERS disc.
At least three business days before the trial, supply the trial exhibits to the courtroom deputy and to the other side, again on a USB drive, CVD, or CD.
Do not renumber exhibits after pretrial conference, even if some are deemed inadmissible.
Court's wording
After the pretrial conference, do not renumber the exhibits, even if during the pretrial conference the Court deemed some of them inadmissible. This will preserve consistency of exhibit numbering from the pretrial conference and throughout trial, and the record will be clearer.
Use JERS exhibit-naming convention at pretrial conference; supply exhibits on USB/DVD/CD at least 3 business days before.
Court's wording
In order to maintain consistency in the record, you must use the JERS exhibit-naming convention even at the pretrial-conference stage (please refer to Judge Kennelly's Standing Order Governing Proposed Pretrial Orders for more detail). At least three business days before the pretrial conference, supply the exhibits to the Court (and to the other side) on a USB drive, DVD, or CD.
As indicated above, for now, you will need to provide a single hard copy of each exhibit admitted in evidence as a fail-safe to provide to the jury for its use during deliberations.
Provide CD/flash drive with exhibits for jury deliberations before closing arguments; all parties sign certification.
Court's wording
Before closing arguments, the lawyers will provide a CD or flash drive containing only the exhibits to be released on JERS to the jury for deliberations. We’ll confer on the record to ensure agreement on which exhibits were allowed into evidence during the trial. All parties will sign a “certification” that these exhibits should be released to the jury.
Newly admitted trial exhibits must follow JERS naming convention and be supplied digitally as soon as possible.
Court's wording
When an exhibit is allowed into evidence during trial and the exhibit was not previously supplied on the JERS disc, not surprisingly the exhibit must follow the same exhibit-naming convention as described above. Counsel for the offering party must supply the exhibit in digital format as soon as possible (a thumb drive comes in handy for this), and the courtroom deputy will import it into JERS.
All exhibits shall be described using neutral and non-adversarial terms.
For any exhibit that is marked for identification, do not include “(ID)” in the exhibit number or description of the JERS copy.