Whereas, Juries are essential to a fair, reliable, and citizen-based system of justice, in which the people, and not government officials, resolve disputes; and,

Whereas, Juries represent the common sense of ordinary people and thus keep the administration of law in accord with the wishes and feelings of the community; and,

Whereas, The decisions that jurors make affects millions of lives every day and have a profound impact on our economy and our society; and,

Whereas, By entrusting jurors from the community to decide legal cases – some of them involving millions of dollars or life and death issues – we reinforce our belief that everyday people can make correct decisions, that we are an open, democratic government; and,

Whereas, Few activities in our civic life provide such a direct contact with our democracy as does jury service; and,

Whereas, Along with voting, jury service is one of the main ways we take part in the public life of our nation, when we vote, we are one of millions, but when we serve on a jury, we are one of twelve; and,

Whereas, The jury system gives equal weight to diverse voices, the system works because everyone on the jury has an equal voice regardless of who they are, what they earn, or where they are from; and,

Whereas, The success of our jury system depends on the participation of all citizens who are called to serve; and,

Whereas, Every day, throughout our country, citizens devote their time and energies to deciding disputes that significantly affect the lives, liberties, and property of others; and now therefore be it,

Resolved, That I, Jennifer M. Granholm, Governor of the State of Michigan, do hereby proclaim the week of May 2, 2005, as Juror Appreciation Week in Michigan.