brazoria county jury duty
If you have questions about your jury summons or jury duty, please contact the appropriate court or judge as indicated on the jury summons. Be aware that you will likely be asked to shut off pagers and cellular phones before entering the jury room or courtroom. Claim for a Permanent Exemption from Jury Service Based on Age My name is _____. According to Lewis, a defense attorney who has represented such high-profile clients as Enron chief executive Ken Lay, convicted murderer Robert Durst, and Mexican drug kingpin Osiel Crdenas Guilln, Barchak would take the full stack of around 200 to 250 juror cards into a back room, where she and other county employees would first sort them into two piles: Pearland residents and non-Pearland residents. Rhonda Barchak was the Brazoria County District Clerk for 11 years. As ABC13 works to learn more about the nature of the alleged "irregularities," another question remaining has to do with what this could mean for the people tried by juries who may have been assembled improperly. 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. And its full of great reads, yall. Questions & Additional Information If you have any questions related to your juror summons or if you are unable to serve for a reason(s) other than exemptions, please call 979-849-2471 and speak to a clerk for information. To ensure the safety of everyone at the courthouse, expect to be screened through a metal detector and X-ray unit. A mother might say, my child was taken away from me, and that was illegally done by a jury. "If you could do this to my son and all the other individuals and think it's okay then she needs to be punished according to what she did to them.". 4 below. Wear a suit or dress with a skirt. All evidence must be presented in open court so that each side may question the witnesses and make proper objection. Entering the courthouse with a prohibited weapon is against the law. Pointed items, such as pocket knives or knitting needles, are not permitted in the courthouse. HOUSTON, TEXAS 77002. Fx: (979) 361-4215 Simply follow the I-Jury information enclosed with the juror summons you received. Yes, you may take care of this matter by indicating on the back of the summons that they are enrolled in college and just sign your name as a parent and return to Jury Services. Texas does not specify the randomization method that clerks must use, he said, so Barchaks system was fairer than simply shuffling the cards. Penalty for Defaulting Jurors.). Occupy the property as your primary residence in the year in which you apply. 111 E. Locust St. Code 62.101. -See JURY SERVICE - Tex. Anything considered to be a weapon or that is deemed unacceptable by the security staff will be confiscated. You Already Served. The information contained on this web site is not intended to take the place of the instructions given by the judge or the court concerning any aspect of jury service. You will need to be fair, impartial, and be willing to make decisions that are not based on your personal feelings and biases. 500, Angleton, TX 77515. Figuring out what to do when you have been summoned for jury duty can be confusing and frustrating. 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This juror site provides basic juror information on preparing for jury service and what to expect while serving, how to complete your jury summons, frequently asked questions, and provides helpful information about the courthouse to which you have been summoned. The length of time a case may be in trial varies with each case. To serve as a juror, you must meet the following specific qualifications: To claim an exemption from jury service contact the court Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 979-849-2471. If you are unfamiliar with the courthouse and its surroundings you should carefully review the instructions that are included with summonses. You can, however, claim payment if your earnings are in any way affected by your participation. 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. Nate Moore Sr., who served as deputy district clerk for sixteen years under Barchaks predecessor, said the county had no consistent system for selecting the venires. The grand jury's decision not to . You need to contact the judge or the court to be excused on this basis. You are not required to claim an exemption from jury service. It is also one of the most politically moderate parts of the county.). Brazoria County Jury Duty is Canceled for Tuesday, January 19, 2021. Ph: (979) 361-4224. Receiving a summons for jury duty does not mean that you will actually serve on a jury. ), (Texas Gov't Code 62.111. The judge will give you an approximate time when you are assigned to a particular court. "So they would have a stack of people who were white residents of Pearland, nonwhite residents of Pearland. ", $100 bond set for catalytic converter theft suspect's evading charge, Man on parole for murder charged in connection to Leslie Obi's killing, Oak pollen already a big problem, but strong storms could wash it away. Bring money. This discussion has been locked. Do not discuss or consider attorney's fees unless evidence about attorney's fees is admitted. Your participation is important to Texas! If you were summoned and you no longer reside in Angleton, contact the voter registration office to have your named removed from their list. This guide gives you the information you need when you have been called for jury duty and directs you to additional resources that can explain the court system and jury process. For at least six years, the district clerk in Brazoria County used a highly unusual and possibly illegal system to assemble jury panels. Bowie County Jury Trial Plan: 11: Brazoria: Brazoria County Recertification: Brazoria County: Brazoria County Jury Trial Plan: 02: Brazos: Brazos County Recertification: Brazos County: Brazos County Jury Trial Plan: 06: Brewster Brewster County: Brewster County Jury Trial Plan: 09: Briscoe Briscoe County 05: Brooks Brooks County 07: Brown Brown . You can also expect to receive a brief orientation in the courtroom or in the jury assembly room regarding jury service. Searchable records from law enforcement. Penalties for Failure to Answer Summons. The community [stretches] from Pearland to Freeport, he said. The process shes doing gives the jury a better chance of being a cross section, which is what were supposed to do with a jury pool, Lewis said. jury duty. Jurors may donate their pay to a number of organizations that have been approved by the Brazoria County Commissioners Court. 111 E. Locust St. Just taking the cards and shuffling themmaybe they shuffled well, and maybe they didnt., Lewis claimed that Barchaks system ensured greater minority representation on juries than a random shuffle, while also providing greater representation of rural areas. At this point, we do not know how long these alleged irregularities may have been going on. A venire evenly divided between white and non-white residents would have meant underrepresentation of people of color on juries. While Barchak has remained silent since stepping down, her attorney, Chip Lewis, gave Texas Monthly an accountpublished here for the first timeof her method of selecting jurors, asserting that her only aim was to assemble a representative cross section of the countys population. Because jury duty involves some waiting, bring something to read to help you pass the time. I am of sound mind and good moral character. Its daily. Also, you may need money to pay for snacks, lunch, or pay phones. Gabriel Garcia Brazos County District Clerk 300 E. 26th Street, Suite 1200 Selleck, the district attorney, confirmed for the first time on Friday that Barchack sorted juror cards into the four categories Lewis described. ** There is no need to make an appearance if you are scheduled to appear as a prospective juror on September 15, 2022. Most Lake Jackson cases are concluded the same day. You 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. Civil rights activists, who have protested several times in front of the Brazoria County courthouse, allege that Barchak was rigging juries to put non-white defendants at a disadvantage. As in most small Texas counties, where juror cards are still usedsome larger counties have switched to electronic systems, which generate randomized veniresall the cards are typically either shuffled in one big stack or mixed up on a table to create a stack. You will not be asked, and you should not consider, whether one party or the other should win. After all challenges are utilized, a jury with one to four alternates is impaneled to hear the evidence in the case. Those stacks would then be used to assemble the venires (panels from which juries are drawn) for the weeks trials. Chip Gaines Bought Larry McMurtrys Historic Texas Bookstore. Jos R. Ralat is Texas Monthlys taco editor, writing about tacos and Mexican food. 111 E Locust, Rm 102A, Angleton, TX77515-4678 The acting district attorney for Brazoria County confirmed that his office did present findings to a grand jury today, and should conclude Thursday. Jury registration is a simple process that can be completed: Online through the My Jury Duty Portal found here; On the telephone by calling (213) 972-0970 and selecting the "Registration" option from the menu. The judge may give you an opportunity to discuss any individual personal hardships that jury service may cause to you. Meyers attorney, Dan Cogdell, wouldnt describe the system, but said it involved an attempt to ensure a more diverse venire. "I knew from the get-go when I heard about what was going on that something wasn't right pertaining to my son's case," Hagger said. When you report for jury service, you should receive or request a form that allows you to direct the county treasurer to donate your reimbursement for jury service to a designated charity or fund which should include: Your employer is not required to pay you for any time that you missed from work due to jury service. (Texas Government Code 62.102. But Rhonda Barchak, a Republican who served as district clerk in the fast-growing county that stretches from the Houston suburbs to the Gulf Coast, had her own method. ATTENTION JURORS: Theres a tremendous amount of liability on the part of the county.. Friday, October 8, 2021. ", -U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren (1962). Its free. Please enable JavaScript in your browser for a better user experience. Jurors are paid for their service. An employer who terminates, threatens to terminate, penalizes, or threatens to penalize an employee because the employee performs jury duty is subject to sanctions for contempt of court and payment of damages to the employee. Veteran Texas attorney David Sheppard, who recently retired after practicing criminal law for more than forty years and was as an adjunct lecturer at the University of Texas School of Law,said he had never heard of a system like Barchaks. Each juror receives ten dollars ($10) for the first day of appearance and forty dollars ($40) for the second and any subsequent days of appearance. Starkey and Meyers declined to speak about Barchaks system. My question is, why did it have to be so complicated? he said. TikTok Is Banking On Project Texas to Avoid a U.S. Ban. The FBI says per Department of Justice policy . Mrs. Barchak remains grateful for the opportunity to have served her community. Though the court or the county may provide parking or reimburse parking costs, you might have to pay them initially. The former district clerk in question has now retired. The Top 50 Texas BBQ Joints: 2021 Edition, West Texans Are Learning What It Means to Live in Bear Country, Jimmy Carters Peanut-and-Egg Taco Made Quite the Impression on San Antonians. Are over 70 years of age (You may also request a permanent age 70 exemption. He began hearing rumors about Barchaks system around the time of the DAs announcement in August. 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. County used a highly unusual and possibly illegal system to assemble jury panels alleged irregularities may been... Have meant underrepresentation of people of color on juries the other should win me, and you should not,... 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