French-speaking jury trials. Jury duty Your summons package includes important information about the steps being taken to protect your health and safety at jury selection and as a juror. Respond to a summons for jury duty You must respond to a jury summons - even if you feel you are not qualified or need an exemption. Related links Jury Act. Copy Cancel. Did you find what you were looking for? Thank you for your response. Help us improve gov. Organizations A-Z.
Forms A-Z. Driving and transportation Farming, natural resources and industry Family and social supports Health Environmental protection and sustainability Housing and tenancy. Advice for your First Day of Service Be sure that you know where you are supposed to report.
If you are unfamiliar with the courthouse and its surroundings you should carefully review the instructions that are included with summonses. You might also contact the judge or the district clerk's office or check the local web page for additional information. Your attire should show respect for the court. Because you may serve on a jury the first day you report to serve, you should wear clothing reasonably befitting the dignity and solemnity of the court proceedings.
Local judges may restrict certain attire, such as shorts, cutoff, sleeveless shirts, sandals, and hats. Also, you should dress comfortably because you may be in the courthouse for the entire day.
You might also bring a light sweater or jacket in case the temperature in the courthouse is somewhat cold. Take advantage of any free parking offered to prospective jurors. Also, you might want to avoid parking in metered parking spaces because you do not know how long you will be in jury service.
Bring money. Though the court or the county may provide parking or reimburse parking costs, you might have to pay them initially. Also, you may need money to pay for snacks, lunch, or pay phones. Because jury duty involves some waiting, bring something to read to help you pass the time. Be aware that you will likely be asked to shut off pagers and cellular phones before entering the jury room or courtroom. Courthouse Security To ensure the safety of everyone at the courthouse, expect to be screened through a metal detector and X-ray unit.
The county may choose to provide additional forms of compensation or reimbursement, including: free public transportation mileage reimbursement; transportation cost reimbursement; free parking; child-care facilities; or free meals. Charitable Contributions Both you and other prospective jurors who report for jury service will be given an opportunity to voluntarily donate your juror pay to certain local or state charitable causes.
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: the Texas Crime Victim's Compensation Fund your county's Child Welfare Board a designated local family violence shelter; or any other program s approved by the commissioners court.
Rights and Responsibilities of Your Employer Your employer is not required to pay you for any time that you missed from work due to jury service. Length of Duty The length of jury service will vary considerably for summoned jurors.
Delay Unfortunately, prospective jurors who appear and participate in the jury selection process will spend a great deal of time waiting. Rules of Juror Conduct in Civil Cases Supreme Court Rule of Civil Procedure a The judge will instruct you to adhere to the following basic rules: Do not mingle with nor talk to the lawyers, the witnesses, the parties, or any other person who might be connected with or interested in the case, except for casual greetings.
They will have the same instructions and you will understand it when they do. Do not accept from, nor give to, any of those persons any favors however slight, such as rides, food, or refreshments. Do not discuss anything about this case, or even mention it to anyone whomsoever, including your wife or husband nor permit anyone to mention it in your hearing until you are discharged as jurors or excused form this case.
If anyone attempts to discuss the case, report it to the judge at once. Do not even discuss this case among yourselves until after you have heard all of the evidence, the court's charge, the attorneys' arguments and until I have sent you to the jury room to consider your verdict. Do not make any investigation about the facts of this case. Occasionally, we have a juror who privately seeks out information about a case on trial.
This is improper. All evidence must be presented in open court so that each side may question the witnesses and make proper objection. This avoids a trial based upon secret evidence. These rules apply to jurors the same as they apply to the parties and to me. If you know of, or learn anything about, this case except from the evidence admitted during the course of this trial, you should tell me about it at once.
You have just taken an oath that you will render a verdict on the evidence submitted to you under the judge's rulings. Do not make personal inspections, observations, investigations, or experiments nor personally view premises, things or articles not produced in court. Do not let anyone else do any of these things for you. Do not tell other jurors your own personal experiences nor those of other persons, nor relate any special information. A juror may have special knowledge of matters such as business, technical or professional matters or he may have expert knowledge or opinions, or he may know what happened in this or some other lawsuit.
To tell the other jurors any of this information is a violation of these instructions. Do not discuss or consider attorney's fees unless evidence about attorney's fees is admitted. Do not consider, discuss, nor speculate whether or not any party is or is not protected in whole or in part by insurance of any kind.
This selection process helps to make sure that jurors represent a cross section of the community, without regard to race, gender, national origin, age, or political affiliation. Being summoned for jury service does not guarantee that a person will actually serve on a jury. When a jury is needed for a trial, the group of qualified jurors is taken to the courtroom where the trial will take place.
The judge and the attorneys then ask the potential jurors questions to determine their suitability to serve on the jury, a process called voir dire. The purpose of voir dire is to exclude from the jury people who may not be able to decide the case fairly. Members of the panel who know any person involved in the case, who have information about the case, or who may have strong prejudices about the people or issues involved in the case, typically will be excused by the judge.
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