TJB About Texas Courts Juror Information. Jury Service as a Civic Duty and a Privilege. Your participation is important to Texas Both the Constitution of the United States and the Texas Constitution guarantee the right to a trial by jury. That right has long been considered a fundamental safeguard of each Americans civil liberties. Local 427483223 8th Circuit upholds verdict, 11M award for Koua Fong Lee and victims in Toyota Camry crash. Trial of man accused of 600k tiger kidnapping collapses amid fears jury getting outside information. Many people want out of jury duty because it disrupts their lives, and youll find an endless amount of online information about how to escape. The problem It39. With your participation as a Texas juror, our constitutional right to an impartial jury is protected. As noted by the Honorable Tom C. Clark, Texan and former justice of the United States Supreme Court, The jury system improves the quality of justice and is the sole means of keeping its administration attuned to community standards. Jury service is a privilege that offers the average citizen an unequaled opportunity to influence and deliberate over fundamental matters of justice. As a juror, you are in a position of responsibility. You will need to be fair, impartial, and be willing to make decisions that are not based on your personal feelings and biases. The men and women who are called upon to serve on juries in both our federal and state courts have maintained a standard of fairness and excellence throughout the history of our country. They have demonstrated a vision and a will toward the administration of justice that is a wellspring of inspiration. U. S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren 1. Jury Summons. Why did I receive a summons and what do I do now State law mandates the process for selecting prospective jurors. Each county receives a list of potential jurors from the Secretary of State that consists of those individuals in the county that are registered to vote, hold a Texas drivers license, or hold a Texas identification card. Citizens on the list are randomly selected and mailed a summons to report for jury service. While some counties choose to mail a questionnaire to prospective jurors to determine their eligibility prior to mailing the official jury summons, other counties mail the questionnaire and the jury summons together. You will be asked to return the completed questionnaire to the court by mail, or to bring the completed questionnaire with you when you report for jury service. If your county participates in I Jury Online Impaneling and you have access to the internet, you may respond to your summons online and submit any scheduling conflicts without making a trip to the courthouse. Simply follow the I Jury information enclosed with the juror summons you received. The Selection Process. Juror Selection. Receiving a summons for jury duty does not mean that you will actually serve on a jury. However, if you are qualified to serve and you do not ask to be excused or exempted, you will be able to participate in the jury selection process which may take only a day or a fraction of a day to complete. The process begins as groups of prospective jurors, usually numbering fifty to sixty in district courts, are assembled in a courtroom with the judge, the lawyers, and usually the parties of a particular case. Lawyers then conduct what is called voir dire which means to speak the truth, which allows the lawyers and the judge to have the opportunity to ask each prospective juror a series of questions. Jury Duty Video On Trial Show MajstriWhile the lawyers are aware of your answers to the questionnaire that you filled out earlier, the lawyers and the judge may still ask you some of the same questions and some additional questions to ensure that you are indeed qualified to serve, and that you are indeed able to perform your civic duty in a fair and impartial manner. After questioning the prospective jurors, the lawyers and the parties they represent will be given the opportunity to make any challenges for cause and peremptory challenges to individual prospective jurors see definitions. After all challenges are utilized, a jury with one to four alternates is impaneled to hear the evidence in the case. Juror Oath. At some point during the jury selection process, prospective jurors are given an oath by which they swear or affirm to tell the truth when answering questions about their qualifications as jurors. Qualifications for Jury Service. You do not need any special skills or legal knowledge to be a juror To be qualified to serve as a juror you must be at least 1. United States be a resident of this state and of the county in which you are to serve as a juror be qualified under the Constitution and laws to vote in the county in which you are to serve as a juror Note You do not have to be registered to vote to be qualified to vote be of sound mind and good moral character be able to read and write not have served as a juror for six days during the preceding three months in the county court or during the preceding six months in the district court andnot have been convicted of, or be under indictment or other legal accusation for, misdemeanor theft or a felony. Note that the completion of deferred adjudication is not a disqualifying conviction. Texas Government Code 6. General Qualifications for Jury Service. Code of Criminal Procedure, Articles 3. If you have any doubts as to your eligibility to serve on a jury, contact the judge or court as indicated on your jury summons. Exemptions from Jury Service. You are not required to claim an exemption from jury service. However, you may choose to be excused if you Are over 7. You may also request a permanent age 7. Have legal custody of a child younger than 1. Are a student of a public or private secondary school Are a person enrolled and in actual attendance at an institution of higher education Are an officer or an employee of the senate, house of representatives, or any department, commission, board, office, or other agency in the legislative branch of government Have served as a petit juror in the county during the 2. Applies only to counties with a population of at least 2. Govt Code, and the period authorized under 6. Are the primary caretaker of a person who is unable to care for himself or herself This exemption does not apply to health care workers. Have been summoned for service in a county with a population of at least 2. This does not apply if the jury wheel has been reconstituted since your service as a petit juror. or. You are a member of the United States Military Forces serving on active duty and deployed to a location away from your home station and out of your county of residence. Texas Government Code 6. Exemption from Jury ServiceYou must follow the instructions on your jury summons or contact the judge to find out what you need to do to be exempted from jury service. Exemption for Physical or Mental Impairments or Inability to Comprehend English. A district court judge may permanently or temporarily exempt from jury service a person with a physical or mental impairment or with an inability to comprehend or communicate in the English language that makes it impossible or very difficult to serve on a jury. You need to contact the judge or the court to be exempted on this basis. Texas Government Code 6. Excuse of Juror for Religious Holiday. A prospective juror must be released entirely or rescheduled if the juror is required to appear in court on a religious holy day that is observed by the juror. You need to contact the judge or the court to be excused on this basis. Texas Government Code 6. Hardship Excuses. The judge may give you an opportunity to discuss any individual personal hardships that jury service may cause to you. The court has the discretion to hear any reasonable sworn excuse of a prospective juror and either release the juror from jury service or reschedule the jurors jury service for another day. However, the court may not excuse a juror for an economic reason unless each party of record is present and approves the release. Listen for the judge to give you instructions about when to come forward to discuss your need to be excused based on some hardship. Texas Government Code 6. What to Expect on Your First Day. When you report for jury service, you will likely find that there are well trained court personnel available to assist you and to answer any questions that you may have concerning jury duty. You can also expect to receive a brief orientation in the courtroom or in the jury assembly room regarding jury service. Listen carefully and follow the instructions given by court personnel and the judge. With your cooperation and attention to detail, the jury selection process may run smoother and be completed faster. Advice for your First Day of Service.
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