Leave them blank to get signed up. 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. Brazoria County resident Linda Hagger believes her son, Brandon Williams, was wrongly convicted 11 years ago. Because jury duty involves some waiting, bring something to read to help you pass the time. Rhonda Barchak was the Brazoria County District Clerk for 11 years. *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.*. Not have been convicted of, or be under indictment or legal accusation for, a misdemeanor theft or a felony; not be on probation for a misdemeanor theft or a felony. 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. ATTENTION JURORS: Figuring out what to do when you have been summoned for jury duty can be confusing and frustrating. *Not location specific. 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. You might also contact the judge or the district clerk's office or check the local web page for additional information. Court System Type: County Constitutional Court Division: Contact Information: Phone Number: 979-864-1200 Website: http://www.brazoria-county.com/directory.asp Brazoria County district attorney Tom Selleck first acknowledged what he termed irregularities in an August 25 public statement, writing that jury trial panels may have been assembled in a manner inconsistent with applicable statutes and law. Two days later, Selleck announced that he had asked the Texas Rangers Public Integrity Unit to investigate. A venire evenly divided between white and non-white residents would have meant underrepresentation of people of color on juries. Informations sur votre appareil et sur votre connexion Internet, y compris votre adresseIP, Navigation et recherche lors de lutilisation des sites Web et applications Yahoo. Selleck, the district attorney, confirmed for the first time on Friday that Barchack sorted juror cards into the four categories Lewis described. To ensure the safety of everyone at the courthouse, expect to be screened through a metal detector and X-ray unit. Jurors may donate their pay to a number of organizations that have been approved by the Brazoria County Commissioners Court. I am not under indictment or other legal accusation of a misdemeanor theft, felony theft or any other felony charge. After all challenges are utilized, a jury with one to four alternates is impaneled to hear the evidence in the case. 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 . Is any of the above incorrect? Call, or visit the court's website if listed above. 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. If you were summoned and you no longer reside in Angleton, contact the voter registration office to have your named removed from their list. Searchable records from law enforcement. To be qualified to serve as a juror you must: Jurors are paid for their service. TikTok Is Banking On Project Texas to Avoid a U.S. Ban. Most Lake Jackson cases are concluded the same day. Do not discuss or consider attorney's fees unless evidence about attorney's fees is admitted. "When that system has been corrupted, or affected in any way, my God, may God help everybody because that is what stands between a person potentially going to prison for life or getting the death penalty. Own the property in the year in which you apply. 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. The judge may give you an opportunity to discuss any individual personal hardships that jury service may cause to you. But the Legislature did not alter the system for selecting regular trial juries, and it remains unclear why Barchak would have changed her method at that time. 111 E Locust, Rm 102A, Angleton, TX77515-4678 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. Code of Criminal Procedure,Articles 35.16 et. The FBI says per Department of Justice policy . and the Texas Rangers for their thorough and thoughtful investigation. The easiest way to get out of jury duty is by not being qualified in the first place. 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. "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. Do not seek information contained in law books, dictionaries, public or private records or elsewhere, which is not admitted in evidence. If you are unfamiliar with the courthouse and its surroundings you should carefully review the instructions that are included with summonses. CITY OF HOUSTON MUNICIPAL COURTS. 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. 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. **Jury Trial has been canceled for Thursday, September 15, 2022. Former Brazoria County District Clerk's jury pool selection process under scrutiny. 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. Be qualified under the Constitution and laws to vote in this county in which you are to serve as a juror. Selleck also announced that he requested the assistance of the Texas Rangers Public Integrity Unit to help investigate the matter. Brazoria County, Phone Number: 979-864-1200 Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more. 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. RELATED: Families want answers in Brazoria County jury selection: 'This is ridiculous'. Listen for the judge to give you instructions about when to come forward to discuss your need to be excused based on some hardship. She always did everything possible to ensure juries in Brazoria County reflected a properly representative cross section of the community. - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more. On Wednesday, Aug. 25, the Brazoria County District Attorney's Office announced it had received information that leads them to believe jury panels may have been assembled in a manner "inconsistent with applicable statutes and law.". Jury lists are created using names randomly selected from our water utility listing. "So they would have a stack of people who were white residents of Pearland, nonwhite residents of Pearland. Occasionally, we have a juror who privately seeks out information about a case on trial. 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. The Texas Rangers confirmed to ABC13 that their investigation is complete. However the law states that an employer can not terminate your employment for attending jury service. 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. "I kept telling my son, 'I am not stopping until I come to some kind of conclusions on who did what,'" Hagger said. County of Brazos 300 E 26th Street Bryan, TX 77803 Email the County of Brazos More contact info . by: Magnolia832 4 OP. Solicitation Opportunities With Brazos County, National/State Veteran Cemetery Locations, Request Brazos County Birth, Death, and/or Marriage Certificate. HOUSTON, TEXAS 77002. 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. - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more. The community [stretches] from Pearland to Freeport, he said. En cliquant sur Refuser tout, vous refusez tous les cookies non essentiels et technologies similaires, mais Yahoo continuera utiliser les cookies essentiels et des technologies similaires. Houston Chronicle Reporter Anna Bauman read the report and explains how Barchak may have violated Texas law which states jury selection must be random. The district attorney considers the matter closed and that "currently, based on the investigation (by the Texas Rangers) there are no cases or convictions being reviewed. Mrs. Barchak remains grateful for the opportunity to have served her community. 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. Step 2: Maintain hygiene: You should make sure your hair is clean, your skin is clean, your teeth are brushed, and your fingernails are trimmed. Unfortunately your employer is not currently required by Texas state law to pay you while you are serving jury duty. Among the district clerk candidates in next years election is Barchaks former chief deputy, Republican Cayla Meyers, who recently resigned. 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. Website: http://www.brazoria-county.com/directory.asp, Staff: Senior Administrator - Alice Logsdon. The Brazoria County Courthouseis open on M-F from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. I believe thats generally the case, he said. You are not required to claim an exemption even though one might apply to you. I have not been convicted of theft or any felony. (. the Texas Crime Victim's Compensation Fund, a designated local family violence shelter; or. Although the courts make every effort to avoid delays, they sometimes will occur. YES! Are over 70 years of age (You may also request a permanent age 70 exemption. Brazoria County district clerk Rhonda Barchak sorted jurors by race and geography. ", But, a grand jury chose not to indict her. 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. Jurors aid in the maintenance of law and order and uphold justice among their fellow citizens. 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. Complete Jury Orientation: Jury orientation is mandatory for all jurors prior to reporting for jury service. Wear a suit or dress with a skirt. To be qualified to serve as a juror you must: *Note that the completion of deferred adjudication is not a disqualifying "conviction". Be sure that you know where you are supposed to report. Vous pouvez modifier vos choix tout moment en consultant vos paramtres de vie prive. Code 62.101. Each online system is different. Hagger has reached out to Congressman Al Green, who confirmed to ABC13 he is working to learn more about the irregularities in the jury system in Brazoria County. The law says that all individuals are competent jurors unless specifically disqualified. Nous, Yahoo, faisons partie de la famille de marques Yahoo. Jury duty is a civic responsibility that you do not get paid to attend. However, the majority, usually more than two-thirds, of all summoned jurors are NOT actually selected for service, therefore, their duty ends after a short time with the completion of the jury selection process. Allen, TX Arlington, TX Arlington, TX Test . Ph: (979) 361-4224. ~ 2 years, 0 mos ago Jan 18, '21 2:03pm. If you have questions about your jury summons or jury duty, please contact the appropriate court or judge as indicated on the jury summons. You have just taken an oath that you will render a verdict on the evidence submitted to you under the judge's rulings. Citizens on the list are randomly selected and mailed a summons to report for jury service. All Rights Reserved. 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.". Brazoria County is 43 percent white, 31 . 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. Texas Monthly contacted 38 current and former district court employees to try to confirm Lewiss description of Barchaks system; all either failed to respond or declined to comment. The Court greatly appreciates citizens who participate in this service. ", $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. Copyright 2023 KTRK-TV. 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. As a defense lawyer, I dont want twelve people from Pearland judging my guy from Freeport. Lewis said Barchak knew nothing about the trials for which jurors were being selected. To postpone your Jury Service, call: 979-864-1836 (Central & West) 979-388-1836 (Brazosport) Hale County, TX Hermiston, OR Hill County, TX Lake Oswego, OR McKinney, TX . 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. What matters to him is that the law is followed, Green says. ", 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. August 27, 2021, 9:30 PM. Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more. Failure to Answer Jury Summons. Bring money. Simply follow the I-Jury information enclosed with the juror summons you received. Without having a very explicit statutory or court authorization for doing that, it strikes me as being legally problematic., Lewis said that Barchak began using the system around 2015, when the Texas Legislature outlawed the controversial key man method of grand jury selection, under which jury commissioners picked friends and colleagues to serve on grand juries, which determine whether there is enough evidence to file charges against someone. Starkey and Meyers declined to speak about Barchaks system. 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. 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. In the state of Texas, there are possible exemptions for full time students enrolled in a college institution, caregivers of children under ten . For at least six years, the district clerk in Brazoria County used a highly unusual and possibly illegal system to assemble jury panels. 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. They have demonstrated a vision and a will toward the administration of justice that is a wellspring of inspiration. 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. Before choosing to reschedule your service please understand that you are limited to just ONE change so please be sure that you choose your new appearance date carefully. 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