Jury Home Page -- Frequently Asked Questions
The District Clerk accepts calls Monday through Friday from 8:00 A.M.
to 4:30 P.M. at (432) 498-4290.
YOUR JURY REPORT DATE AND TIME IS LISTED ON YOUR SUMMONS AND VARIES
DEPENDING ON THE COURT AND TRIAL FOR WHICH YOU ARE SUMMONED.
Introduction
Did you know that a citizen's right to a trial by jury can be traced back to
both the United States Constitution and the Texas Declaration of Independence?
Although the right to a jury trial is considered a fundamental safeguard of
each American's constitutional liberties, the concept of a jury trial is hardly
new, dating back to medieval England.
Your jury summons puts you in the center of this most basic right of all
Americans. The United States and the State of Texas Constitutions guarantee a
right to trial by jury for anyone accused of a crime, regardless of his or her
race, religion, gender, national origin or economic status. Any time the facts
of a civil or criminal case are in dispute, the parties have a right to have
their case heard by a jury of fair and impartial citizens who will make decisions
without bias or prejudice.
To Have a Jury Trial, There Must Be a Jury
And, to have a jury, citizens from all walks of life must be called upon to
participate. Because you have received a jury summons, you are now part of this
important process.
In a sense, it is an adventure. You have the opportunity to see the justice
system in action, meet a wide range of people, and if you are chosen to serve
on a jury, you will participate in one of this country's most fundamental
processes.
Although appearing for jury duty may disrupt your daily routine, we ask that
you participate with an open mind, patience, and an understanding of the
essential role you have in our justice system.
Jury Selection Process
The process for selecting prospective jurors is mandated by state law. If you are a registered voter, have a Texas
driver's license or a Texas personal identification card and you live in Ector County,
your name is entered in a computer system designed to randomly select
prospective jurors.
Ector County provides jurors for twelve courts within Ector County. Those courts include 5 District Courts, 3
County Courts, and 4 Justice Courts. The
District Clerk and the County Clerk prepare a random selection of names, which
are retrieved at least a month prior to the service date. Those selected
receive a summons which is mailed by the Court Clerk for the Courts with
scheduled trials.
Because the names in our jury pool are provided by two different sources there
is the potential of having a juror’s name on our system more than once. The Secretary of State combines the names from
the voter registration list and the DPS list; however, their software cannot
detect duplicates if there is any difference in name or address between the two
sources. This makes it possible for a
person to receive more than one jury summons within a short period of time. If this occurs please refer to the exemption
section of your summons for “having appeared for service in the previous 3 months.”
Exemptions
A person called for jury service may be excused from jury duty in certain
circumstances. These reasons for
exemption do not disqualify you from serving; even though you may qualify for
an exemption you do not have to claim the exemption, but certain circumstances
can impose considerable hardship for some people. If any of the exemptions apply, and you wish
to claim the exemption, you must complete the form, check off the applicable
exemption listed on the back of the summons and return the summons to the Court
Clerk in the return envelope you received with your summons. You will not need to appear unless you receive
notice the exemption was denied. You will not receive confirmation if an
exemption is accepted. Legal exemptions
are as follows:
- over seventy-five (75) years
of age
- legal custody of
children under twelve (12) years old when jury service would leave those
children without adequate supervision
- (this does not apply to those who work outside the home during normal business hours or those whose children are in a daycare facility during the day)
- students in private or public high schools or attending an institution of higher education
- (you must be enrolled and attending classes at the time you are summoned to appear)
- associated with the legislative branch as 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 state government.
- have appeared as a petit juror in the county during the 6 month period preceding the date he/she is to appear.
- (this does not apply to those who have served in a city or federal court)
- primary caretakers of a person unable to care for themselves
- (this does not apply to health care workers)
- have a medical condition and submit physician's documentation of such with the sworn Medical Exemption Affidavit Form.
- If 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.
Non-Allowable Exemptions
There are several common reasons given by prospective jurors for exemption
which are not allowable:
- being the sole owner of
a business or commission sales
- having an employer who
will not pay you for your jury service
- frequent travel for
business
- having a lack of
transportation
Jury Duty and Your Job
The law protects your
job while you are fulfilling your jury duty and you cannot be fired for
serving. However, your employer is not
required to pay you for the time missed from work while on jury duty. If you need proof of jury service for your
employer, one can be provided to you by the Court Clerk.
Statutory Qualifications
In order for a person to serve as a juror they must meet certain
qualifications. The qualifications are
listed on your summons next to the exemptions. Unlike exemptions, if you do not meet all the
qualifications you cannot serve on a jury and you must complete the sworn
affidavit form and return it to the Court Clerk. You do not need to appear and you will not
receive confirmation from Jury Services.
A person is qualified to serve as a juror if that person:
- is at least 18 years of
age.
- is a resident of Ector
County and you must be a United States citizen.
- is qualified under the
constitution and laws to vote in Ector County.
- (you do not have to be a registered voter to serve)
- is of sound mind and good moral character.
- is able to read and write.
- has not served as a petit juror for 6 days in the preceding 6 months in a district court or 6 days in the preceding 3 months in a county court.
- has not been convicted of a misdemeanor theft or any felony.
- is not under indictment or other legal accusation for a theft or any felony.
Tips to Make Your Jury Service More Enjoyable
Knowing where you are going and what to expect when you get there can make any
experience more enjoyable, and jury service is no exception. Getting to the Ector County Courts Building,
finding the Central Jury Room, and arriving prepared aren't nearly as tough as
you might think.
Come Prepared
You must bring your jury summons and questionnaire with you when
you report for jury duty. If you failed
to return your information form, please complete the form and bring it with you
when you report. In addition, you may
want to bring something to do while you wait in the Central Jury Room. Jury duty does involve some waiting, so a good
book or handwork will help pass the time. You may also want to bring money for snacks,
drinks and lunch. There are vending
machines for snacks during breaks, so plan to have plenty of change.
Dress the Part
You may be selected for, and actually serve, on a jury the day you
are summoned, so it is important that you dress appropriately. Jury service is serious business, and you
should dress accordingly. Business attire is recommended. Shorts, tank tops and
flip-flop sandals are not considered appropriate attire for court. Jeans are allowed. When in doubt, dress seriously but with
comfort in mind. Jury service can
involve a good deal of sitting.
What Your Jury Service Involves
Once you have arrived at the Central Jury Room, your jury service
is underway. You will find that the
system is set up to guide you along with clear instructions throughout the
process. Whether you are selected as a
juror or not, you will still be providing an essential part of the trial-by-jury
system.
Where To Go Once You've Arrived at the Courthouse
Free parking is available all around the Courthouse and a map is
included with your summons depicting recommended parking locations. Jurors may use the 2-hour and metered parking around the courthouse without the need to move their vehicle or pay the usual meter fees. Before you are allowed to enter the building
you will pass through a metal detector. Please
remember that absolutely no weapons of any kind are allowed in the building:
guns, knives, pepper spray, mace, etc…
Your jury service starts in the Central Jury Room #323, located on the 3rd
floor of the Courthouse. Elevators to
the 3rd floor are located at both the north and south ends of the building. There are two main stairwells that are open
for easy public access. There are
restrooms on the third floor and vending machines for beverages and snacks are
also available.
What To Expect
When you arrive in the Central Jury Room, please turn in your juror
questionnaire to the Court Clerk. After
all prospective jurors have checked in, a brief orientation will be given by a
trial judge. The judge will go over the disqualifications and exemptions that
were listed on the summons. Those who
believe they may be disqualified and those with possible exemptions will be
given the opportunity at this point to come forward and be heard by the
impaneling judge.
Prospective jurors are assigned to panels, smaller groups from which jurors are
selected. Those impaneled jurors are
taken to a courtroom by a bailiff. Once
in the courtroom, jurors are briefed by the judge and questioned by attorneys
for both sides until the jurors who will hear the case are chosen. Once the
jury has been selected, those persons on the panel who are not chosen are
released. There may be panels assigned
on that first day of jury service that will be asked to return for cases
beginning later in the week or the next week. Upon request, jurors will be provided with a
letter for their employer stating that they appeared and if/when they are
expected to return to complete their service. Your jury service is only for the seven days
immediately following the day you are summoned. The only way your service would extend past
one week is if you are selected as a juror in a trial that goes into the next
week.
Approximately 20% of prospective jurors are selected for trials. If you aren't selected to sit as a juror on a
case, you can expect to be released for the week. If you are selected, you will serve for one
trial. Surprisingly, the average trial
only lasts 1 to three (3) days.
Getting Paid for Jury Service
Jurors are paid for their service. Each juror receives twenty dollars ($20) a day for
the first day that they appear and fifty-eight dollars ($58) a day for the second and
any subsequent day of required appearance for jury service. Payments are processed at the end of jury
service, and a check is mailed to each juror within two to three weeks of their
service.
You've Been Selected for a Jury -- What Now?
Approximately 20% of those summoned to jury duty are chosen to serve on a jury.
So, there is a good chance that you will
be released from your jury service after the first or second day. If you are selected to serve, this will be an
opportunity to see firsthand our justice system in action.
A Day in the Life of a Juror
Each trial is as unique as the people involved, and there is no way to predict
how long each trial will last. A trial can last a day or take two or three
days; they are seldom much longer.
During the trial, the judge will tell you what time you need to be in court
each day and what time to expect each day to end. You will also be given a
break for lunch, which you may choose to take at one of the many restaurants located
within walking or driving distance of the courthouse.
Trials follow a set procedure which you may find familiar.
Opening Statements: Attorneys for each side may explain the case,
outline any evidence they will present, and discuss the issues you will decide.
This is usually a broad statement which sets the stage for witnesses and the
details to follow.
Presentation of Evidence: Testimony of witnesses and exhibits are all
evidence. Any exhibits will be available
to the jury during their deliberations. Because you will be deciding the case based on
the facts presented, it is very important to pay close attention to all
evidence.
Rulings by the Judge: The judge may be asked to decide questions of law
during the trial. The judge may ask
jurors to leave the courtroom while lawyers make legal arguments. If this happens, understand that these issues
must be decided so that proper evidence can be considered by the jury.
Instruction to the Jury: After all evidence has been presented, the
judge may give the jury the Charge of the Court. This includes legal
instructions about the case and the questions the jury must answer.
Closing Arguments: This gives the lawyers an opportunity to summarize
the evidence and to try to persuade the jury to accept their client's view of
the case.
Jury Deliberations and Decision: After hearing the closing arguments,
the jury is sent to deliberate. During deliberations, members of the jury will
decide how they will answer the questions presented in the Charge of the Court
and then return a final verdict.
Sequestered Juries
Sequestered juries are very rare. Before you are assigned to such a jury, you
will have an opportunity to discuss any problems this might create with the
judge.
Still Have Questions?
If you still have questions about your summons or jury duty, please call the Court
Clerk listed on your jury summons. The
District Clerk may be reached at (432) 498-4290 and the County Clerk may be
reached at (432) 498-4130. We understand you have questions, and we will do
everything we can to make your jury service easy and as interesting as
possible. We rely upon our citizens to
keep our justice system running, and we thank you in advance for the very
important part you play.