TRINIDAD, Colo. - The Third Judicial District invites the public to be the judge in a program designed to help the Colorado Judicial Branch gather needed information to ensure it is providing the best possible service to the public. The survey will be conducted during the week of June 9 at the Las Animas and Huerfano county courthouses.

Judges, clerks and other court employees will talk to people - in English and Spanish - about their experiences as jurors, parties to a case or as recipients of other Judicial Branch services. Attorneys, law enforcement officers and anyone who does business with the courts also will be encouraged to participate. The judicial employees will be stationed near the courthouse entrances, asking people if they had business with the courts and are willing to participate in a brief anonymous survey.

The data will be used to measure public opinion about access to and fairness of the courts. People will be asked whether they had problems finding the courthouse, whether they could easily understand the forms they needed, whether they felt safe in the building and other related questions.

Surveyors also will ask people whether they felt their case was handled in a fair manner, whether the judge or magistrate listened to them and had all the necessary information before making a decision, and whether they felt they were treated with courtesy, understood what was happening in their case and were given clear information about the next step in their case.

"This is an opportunity for the public, attorneys and other customers of the courts to comment on their experiences with the judicial system," said Third Judicial District Administrator Bob Kreiman. "It is important for us to find out if we are meeting their needs, and if not, what we can do better."

Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary Mullarkey said: "These are the people's courts. Coloradans deserve the best the Judicial Branch can possibly offer them."

Similar surveys are in use by numerous other court systems as part of a program developed by the National Center for State Courts.

"CourTools has provided us with valuable insight that has allowed us to strengthen the courts' effectiveness while at the same time becoming more transparent," said Dan Becker, Utah's state court administrator.

In Fiscal Year 2007 (July 1, 2006-June 30, 2007) there were more than 5,400 cases filed in the Third Judicial District. That number includes more than 4,300 cases filed in county court and more than 1,100 in district court.