Judge Beth W. Jantz

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 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.

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.

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>

At the conclusion of trial, counsel will provide the courtroom deputy with a list of exhibits to release to the jury through JERS

Prior to the start of any trial day, counsel shall provide the courtroom deputy with a list of exhibits entered the previous day.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.