Bring on the Shiplap? 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. Please note: For at least six years, the district clerk in Brazoria County used a highly unusual and possibly illegal system to assemble jury panels. RELATED: Brazoria County District Clerk's Office under investigation over 'irregularities' in jury process, "They would sort them into four separate piles," Bauman said. The Government Code states that a person who fails to comply with this summons is subject to a contempt action punishable by a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $1,000 (62.0141). 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. Do not discuss or consider attorney's fees unless evidence about attorney's fees is admitted. At this time the only type of employment that may claim an exemption from jury duty is exemption No. Juror's names are selected from current voter registration lists. The judge will instruct you to adhere to the following basic rules: At the conclusion of all the evidence, the judge may give you a written charge that asks you some specific questions. 1,870 talking about this. Her attorney says the method was harmless, but the Texas Rangers are investigating. seq.). Website: http://www.brazoria-county.com/directory.asp, Staff: Senior Administrator - Alice Logsdon. 111 E. Locust St. . The Rangers report, made public in January, stated that Barchak confessed to 239th District Judge Patrick Sebesta that she separated jury cards into four categories: "Pearland white, Pearland non-white, non Pearland white, and non Pearland.". Angleton, TX 77515, Design By Granicus - Connecting People and Government. Searchable records from law enforcement. The community [stretches] from Pearland to Freeport, he said. We report on vital issues from politics to education and are the indispensable authority on the Texas scene, covering everything from music to cultural events with insightful recommendations. Most Lake Jackson cases are concluded the same day. They have demonstrated a vision and a will toward the administration of justice that is a wellspring of inspiration. Share & Bookmark, Press Enter to show all options, press Tab go to next option, Elected Officials - County, State and Federal, American Rescue Plan Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, Brazoria County Hurricane Preparedness Expo, Brazoria County Local Emergency Planning Committee, Hurricane Harvey Substantial Damage Information, NOTICE to ALL CRIMINAL & JUVENILE DEFENSE ATTORNEYS, Stephen F. Austin-Munson Historical County Park, Vendor Permits and Mass Gathering Information, Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Information, Brazoria County Independent School Districts, Brazoria County Groundwater Conservation District, Brazoria County Awarded Certificate of Achievement, TxDOT Long Term Closures for Bridge Replacements, DSHS recalls oysters harvested in area of southeastern Galveston Bay. Do not accept from, nor give to, any of those persons any favors however slight, such as rides, food, or refreshments. 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. Because you will need to consider all of the evidence admitted by the judge, it is important that you pay close attention to the evidence as it is presented at trial. The Jury Services Department coordinates the creation and service of jury panels for the District Courts, County Courts at Law, and the Justice of the Peace Courts. 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. 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.". Be qualified under the Constitution and laws to vote in this county in which you are to serve as a juror. The acting district attorney for Brazoria County confirmed that his office did present findings to a grand jury today, and should conclude Thursday. He rejected Lewiss explanation that Barchak never received proper training and said her system likely violated state law. You have just taken an oath that you will render a verdict on the evidence submitted to you under the judge's rulings. Brazoria County is 43 percent white, 31 . Do not make any investigation about the facts of this case. 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. A juror who is lawfully notified to attend court is subject to a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $500 if that juror either: fails to attend court in obedience to the notice without a reasonable excuse; or. Bring money. You are not required to claim an exemption from jury service. 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. page at bit.ly/33kzxFb. Get Out of Jury Duty for Not Being Qualified. "I'm putting my faith in the Department of Justice to come back with their conclusion in what they're discovering and finding in a jury tampering system and what took place in Brazoria County, Texas," Quanell told ABC13. However, the Commissioners Court of a county may choose to reduce or eliminate the daily compensation for prospective jurors who attend court for only one day without actually serving on a jury. (Texas Gov't Code 62.0141. As in all Texas counties, eligible Brazoria residents are summoned to jury duty at random, based on an electronic list provided by the Texas Secretary of State. These allegations about a corrupt process first surfaced in late August. Full-Time Student. Also, try to keep an open mind about your jury service and remember that you are playing an essential role in our justice system. You will need to check with your local courthouse regarding special amenities. You do not need any special skills or legal knowledge to be a juror! Selleck also announced that he requested the assistance of the Texas Rangers Public Integrity Unit to help investigate the matter. ATTENTION JURORS: As a result, you need to follow all of the jury instructions given by the judge throughout the case very carefully. *Payment is processed at the end of jury service, and a check is mailed to each juror within three to four weeks of their service.*. (Texas Government Code 62.102. This avoids a trial based upon secret evidence. Jury duty is a valuable service to the community and is an important responsibility since jurors determine a defendants guilt or innocence and, in the case of a guilty finding, assess fines. Barchak, who resigned in late August after having held the post since 2010, divided up jurors by geographical region, and then by race, to assemble panels for criminal, civil, and family-law trials. 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. Selleck, the district attorney, confirmed for the first time on Friday that Barchack sorted juror cards into the four categories Lewis described. Brazoria County Jury Duty is Canceled for Tuesday, January 19, 2021. City Employees Are Heading for the Exits. The county may choose to provide additional forms of compensation or reimbursement, including: Your local court will provide you with information regarding the existence and extent of any of these programs. But if she was aiming for a venire that reflected the countys population, she had a problem: Brazoria Countys population has become more diverse, changing from 51 percent non-white to 57 percent non-white in the years since 2015. 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. However, the court may not excuse a juror for an economic reason unless each party of record is present and approves the release. If any of these apply to you, contact the court to verify they observe the exemption. Pointed items, such as pocket knives or knitting needles, are not permitted in the courthouse. **Jury Trial has been canceled for Thursday, September 15, 2022. If you would like to serve even though you are eligible for an exemption then we certainly appreciate your choosing to do so. Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more. Are over 70 years of age (You may also request a permanent age 70 exemption. "If it was something where these were truly, not-randomly-drawn perspective jurors, that could mean that every single jury that was put together, every panel for every defendant or plaintiff, whoever it may be, under the watch of this district clerk when it was done improperly, would probably, almost assuredly, would be entitled to a new trial," explained Steve Shellist, ABC13's legal analyst. (Applies only to counties with a population of at least 200,000 unless the county uses a jury plan under 62.011, Gov't Code, and the period authorized under 62.011(b) exceeds two years. Do not let anyone else do any of these things for you. 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. The Brazoria County District Attorney's Office has received information that leads them to believe jury panels may have been assembled in a manner "inconsistent with applicable statutes and law." You will not be asked, and you should not consider, whether one party or the other should win. The Texas Rangers are in the process of investigating whether Rhonda Barchak, Brazoria County's former District Clerk, illegally stacked jury panels according to geography, race, and political . Starkey and Meyers declined to speak about Barchaks system. Bryan, TX 77803. ); 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. Occupy the property as your primary residence in the year in which you apply. Investigation underway into jury assembly process in Brazoria County. The law says that all individuals are competent jurors unless specifically disqualified. Under state law, jurors are supposed to be selected at random from the pool of those whove been called to jury duty. 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. 111 E. Locust, Suite 500 979-388-1836 (Brazosport) Jos R. Ralat is Texas Monthlys taco editor, writing about tacos and Mexican food. County of Brazos 300 E 26th Street Bryan, TX 77803 Email the County of Brazos More contact info . 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. You are not required to claim an exemption even though one might apply to you. The Court entry and parking lot face Chenango Street. ", But, a grand jury chose not to indict her. 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 driver's license, or hold a Texas identification card. Friday, October 8, 2021. In a statement sent to ABC13 on Friday, Brazoria County District Attorney Tom Selleck said, "The law requires jurors to be selected at random and it is this process that is alleged to have been conducted improperly.". 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. To tell the other jurors any of this information is a violation of these instructions. I am over 70 years of age. As a full-time student, you can be exempted from jury duty if participating in them will make you miss a significant amount of classes. I just have to believe there was some purpose behind dividing the jurors between Pearland and the rest of the county. After all challenges are utilized, a jury with one to four alternates is impaneled to hear the evidence in the case. Unfortunately your employer is not currently required by Texas state law to pay you while you are serving jury duty. A Brazoria County jury took less than two hours to convict Clear Lake-area resident Amber Willemsen of intoxication manslaughter on Tuesday, in the June 12, 2016, wreck that killed Pearland . Read full article. Not surprising given the political climate in Brazoria County. I am of sound mind and good moral character. My question is, why did it have to be so complicated? he said. Do not tell other jurors your own personal experiences nor those of other persons, nor relate any special information. For more information about this topic, please refer to this website: www.BrazosCountyJury.com. 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. Their attempt was to increase the racial inclusiveness, Cogdell said, not decrease the racial inclusiveness., If courts find Barchaks method illegal or unconstitutional, thousands of criminal, civil, and family court verdicts could be subject to appeal, and the county may be open to civil liability. August 27, 2021, 9:30 PM. Barchaks method, said Matagorda County district clerk Janice Hawthorne, takes away the whole random process., In additional to potentially violating state law, Barchaks system appears to differ from her own jury plan, which she submitted to the Brazoria County Commissioners Court for approval in 2018. "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. Leave them blank to get signed up. You need to contact the judge or the court to be exempted on this basis. 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. I am a resident of the City of Angleton for which the court is established. "So they would have a stack of people who were white residents of Pearland, nonwhite residents of Pearland. -See JURY SERVICE - Tex. Also, you may need money to pay for snacks, lunch, or pay phones. If you have questions about your jury summons or jury duty, please contact the appropriate court or judge as indicated on the jury summons. However the law states that an employer can not terminate your employment for attending jury service. Theres a tremendous amount of liability on the part of the county.. Your attire should show respect for the court. Official Court proceedings are held at the City Hall Municipal Building in the Municipal Courtroom\City Council Chambers. Each online system is different. However, you will probably be asked for a juror index number (or other number provided on the summons) and the service date (also on your summons). We will then forward this information to the Brazoria County elections department. 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. ", RELATED: FBI joins investigation into Brazoria County selection case, activist says, Barchak's attorney sent a statement to ABC13 which read, "We would like to thank the Brazoria County D.A. Suite 2214. Please write on the front or back of the summons Active duty military and return to our office. Do not make personal inspections, observations, investigations, or experiments nor personally view premises, things or articles not produced in court. Code 62.101. Houston Chronicle Reporter Anna Bauman read the report and explains how Barchak may have violated Texas law which states jury selection must be random. ~ 2 years, 0 mos ago Jan 18, '21 2:03pm. Own the property in the year in which you apply. 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. Jurors may donate their pay to a number of organizations that have been approved by the Brazoria County Commissioners Court. Jury service is an important civic and community duty. A Grand Jury declined to indict a former Brazoria County District Clerk after she was accused of handpicking juries and the District attorney considers the case closed, but still it may not be over. YES! As a juror, you are in a position of responsibility. For those jurors who are selected to serve in a jury panel, the judge and the attorneys may be able to estimate how long that particular trial will last. 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. According to the Brazoria County website, the clerk in question was elected in 2010. Depending on local laws and specific court policies, exemptions MAY include persons over age 70, and those having recently served on a jury (usually within 1-3 years depending on county policy). All evidence must be presented in open court so that each side may question the witnesses and make proper objection. Rhonda Barchak was the Brazoria County District Clerk for 11 years. If a delay occurs while you are present for jury service, please try to be patient with the court staff. Now Shes Auctioning Off Her Archive. Chip Gaines Bought Larry McMurtrys Historic Texas Bookstore. 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. Anything considered to be a weapon or that is deemed unacceptable by the security staff will be confiscated. the Texas Legislature outlawed the controversial key man method of grand jury selection, Inside the Karaoke Bar Where Texas Lawmakers Serenade Each Other, The Campaign to Sabotage Texass Public Schools. SB0168E 12/15 41651 12/15 RELATED: Families want feds to look into Brazoria Co. jury process: 'The truth is always going to come out'. Do not seek information contained in law books, dictionaries, public or private records or elsewhere, which is not admitted in evidence. You will be paid by the county in an amount not less than $6.00 and not more than $50.00 per day or fraction of a day served. And then, white residents who (also) didn't live in Pearland, and nonwhite residents who (also) didn't live in Pearland. The length of jury service will vary considerably for summoned jurors. Brazoria County, Phone Number: 979-864-1200 While 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. The Court greatly appreciates citizens who participate in this service. *Please call to verify. Note that jurors and others can be called upon to testify in open court about acts of jury misconduct. BRAZORIA COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- The Texas Rangers are being called in to investigate after the Brazoria County District Attorney's Office found out about potential "irregularities" in the district clerk's office, specifically regarding the jury assembly process. The Brazoria County Courthouseis open on M-F from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Lewis said Barchak received no training on how to randomize the cards, and that she learned the technique from other county employees. Please write on the front or back of the summons Deceased and return to our office. I believe thats generally the case, he said. Your participation is important to Texas! 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. Among the district clerk candidates in next years election is Barchaks former chief deputy, Republican Cayla Meyers, who recently resigned. Please enable JavaScript in your browser for a better user experience. Texas does not specify the randomization method that clerks must use, he said, so Barchaks system was fairer than simply shuffling the cards. 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