In November, Seattle Municipal Court (SMC) introduced a new blog series—essentially a “Who’s Who at SMC” —that lets you get to know the people behind the scenes who make the day-to-day interactions at the court function. Our fourth person for you to meet is Kristen Aparicio, a jury coordinator at the court. So far, we’ve also had you meet a probation counselor, magistrate and the court’s chief clerk.
What do you do as a jury coordinator at the court?
In a nutshell, I help people who have been called for jury duty at SMC. Most trials at our court last about a week, though occasionally they extend into the next week. Every Tuesday, a new group of potential jurors arrive at the court, and it’s my duty to ensure they feel welcome, provide them with an orientation of the roles and responsibilities of a juror and what to expect. There’s also time for Q&A and I find this helps put many people at ease. SMC jurors are randomly selected from a subset of King County voter registrations, as well as Washington state driver license and ID card records that only includes Seattle residents.
Getting summoned to court for jury duty can cause anxiety for some people. I like to help mitigate any negative feelings people may have about being at court. I consider myself a people person and I love interacting with people from all walks of life, and in this role, I get to do that! I get to meet new people every week and one of my favorite parts of my job is seeing who all makes up the city—every person brings a different dynamic into the mix and it’s fascinating to witness.
Those who aren’t dismissed from jury duty typically are involved in a trial held on Wednesday and Thursday. On Mondays, the court prepares for a new week of trials; and on Fridays, I have a lot of reports and other administrative tasks to tackle. In a typical week, my fellow colleague and I—there are two jury coordinators at SMC—must manage about 60 potential jurors and serve as a liaison between the courtrooms and jurors. We need to always know their whereabouts and follow up if someone goes missing. Believe it or not, we do get some “runners” from time to time, and when this happens, we need to follow up with them and get them rescheduled to fulfill their jury duty. Many don’t realize—and this is where I come in to help educate—that when you get summoned for jury duty, it is your civic obligation to fulfill—it is not a choice.
How long have you been at SMC?
I began my time at the court as a court clerk and now I am a jury coordinator. I still get to perform clerk duties from time to time, and while I enjoyed that role, I missed the interaction with people. This new role lets me do just that and I love it. Prior to working at SMC, I worked for the Seattle Police Department, which is in the same building, so I really know the ins and outs of this place. People who don’t work in this building won’t know it, but the floors of the police department and the court are separate—I’m one of the lucky few who has seen every floor and know what goes on in the entire building.
What are some fun facts about you?
I was born and raised in Los Angeles and love the Dodgers. I’m also a big Disney fan. I am a tarot card reader, and I am also my son’s number one cheerleader for all the sports he’s in: wrestling, baseball and football. Also, I almost always have a sugar-free energy drink on me.