However, your employer cannot fire you while you are fulfilling your civic duty. You might also contact the judge or the district clerk's office or check the local web page for additional information. You MAY claim an exemption from jury duty if you are: Brazoria County Courthouse 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.". 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.". 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. (. To serve as a juror you must meet the following qualifications: Be a citizen of Texas and a resident of Brazoria County in which you are to serve as a juror ; Be able to read and write ; Be at least 18 years . These allegations about a corrupt process first surfaced in late August. 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. Among the district clerk candidates in next years election is Barchaks former chief deputy, Republican Cayla Meyers, who recently resigned. Through service on a jury, a citizen has a direct hand in the administration of justice. 1400 LUBBOCK, ROOM 214. Unfortunately, prospective jurors who appear and participate in the jury selection process will spend a great deal of time waiting. 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. 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. Wear shoes that are suitable for the court. A juror's greatest reward is the knowledge that they have discharged this duty faithfully, honorably, and well. Meyers attorney, Dan Cogdell, wouldnt describe the system, but said it involved an attempt to ensure a more diverse venire. Former Brazoria County District Clerk's jury pool selection process under scrutiny. Solicitation Opportunities With Brazos County, National/State Veteran Cemetery Locations, Request Brazos County Birth, Death, and/or Marriage Certificate. Assists prospective jurors with assignment information and administers juror payments. RELATED: Brazoria County District Clerk's Office under investigation over 'irregularities' in jury process, "They would sort them into four separate piles," Bauman said. Hale County, TX Hermiston, OR Hill County, TX Lake Oswego, OR McKinney, TX . BRAZORIA COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- A grand jury declined to indict a former Brazoria County District clerk after she was accused of handpicking jurors. "We have identified four families whose loved ones were tried by all white juries," said Quanell X. Do not make any investigation about the facts of this case. The summons needs to be returned indicating that the person does not live at the address. She now had four stacks of cards: Pearland whites, Pearland non-whites, non-Pearland whites, and non-Pearland non-whites. Friday, October 8, 2021. Brazoria County District Courts DO Postpone Jury Dates, 979-864-1836 (Central & West) 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. I desire to obtain a permanent exemption from jury service because I am over 70 years of age. Full-Time Student. It was a good system. The Court entry and parking lot face Chenango Street. ); Have been summoned for service in a county with a population of at least 250,000 and you have served as a petit juror in the county during the three year period preceding the date you are to appear for jury service. 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. Ph: (979) 361-4224. Exemption from Jury Service). 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 . If you. 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. Angleton, TX 77515-4678, Brazoria County Courthouse On the morning of July 19, several hundred Brazoria County residents appeared for jury duty in downtown Angleton, a fifty-minute drive south of Houston. (Supreme Court Rule of Civil Procedure 226a). Nous, Yahoo, faisons partie de la famille de marques Yahoo. The Brazoria County Courthouseis open on M-F from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. They have demonstrated a vision and a will toward the administration of justice that is a wellspring of inspiration. 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. 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 tell the other jurors any of this information is a violation of these instructions. The process by which Barchak assembled the final stack is unclear. Code 62.101. A mother might say, my child was taken away from me, and that was illegally done by a jury. Occupy the property as your primary residence in the year in which you apply. Except for specially called jury panels (which are very rare) Brazoria County allows every juror one postponement for any reason at all in order for everyone to have the opportunity to pick a date better suited for their individual schedule. Local judges may restrict certain attire, such as shorts, cutoff, sleeveless shirts, sandals, and hats. ); or. If you would like to serve even though you are eligible for an exemption then we certainly appreciate your choosing to do so. 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). The former district clerk in question has now retired. 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. However, you may choose to be excused if you: (Texas Government Code 62.106. Lewis declined to provide the names of those employees. I just have to believe there was some purpose behind dividing the jurors between Pearland and the rest of the county. Lewis said Barchak received no training on how to randomize the cards, and that she learned the technique from other county employees. 3. You have just taken an oath that you will render a verdict on the evidence submitted to you under the judge's rulings. Fx: (979) 361-4215 Your participation is important to Texas! The judge will give you an approximate time when you are assigned to a particular court. 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. Her goal was inclusion of all races and all demographics.". Leave them blank to get signed up. "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. *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.*. 111 E. Locust, Suite 500 But when the selected jurors in Brazoria arrived for dutyusually on Monday mornings at the county courthouse in AngletonBarchaks method of dividing them up for trials diverged sharply from the systems used by other Texas district clerks, who typically draw cardsrandomly from a stack or use technology to automate a random selection. Gabriel Garcia Brazos County District Clerk 300 E. 26th Street, Suite 1200 JURY SERVICE. Her attorney is maintaining her innocence. All Rights Reserved. This avoids a trial based upon secret evidence. He rejected Lewiss explanation that Barchak never received proper training and said her system likely violated state law. 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 . If any of these apply to you, contact the court to verify they observe the exemption. En cliquant sur Accepter tout, vous acceptez que Yahoo et nos partenaires traitent vos informations personnelles et utilisent des technologies telles que les cookies pour afficher des publicits et des contenus personnaliss, et des fins de mesure des publicits et des contenus, dtude des audiences et de dveloppement de produit. 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. 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. 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. ATTENTION JURORS: 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. At no point did they sort jurors by race or geographic region, he said. The community [stretches] from Pearland to Freeport, he said. 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. The approved plan stipulated that the district clerk would randomly select panels of prospective jurors. Paula Hannaford, director of the Center for Jury Studies at the National Center for State Courts in Virginia, said Barchak would likely have needed specific authorization to diverge from the standard randomization process. Get Out of Jury Duty for Not Being Qualified. Also, try to keep an open mind about your jury service and remember that you are playing an essential role in our justice system. The grand jury's decision not to . $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. We will then forward this information to the Brazoria County elections department. You will not be asked, and you should not consider, whether one party or the other should win. 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. 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. I am a resident of the City of Angleton for which the court is established. I am a citizen of the state of Texas and a resident of Brazoria County. 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. 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. 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. "Rhonda assumed the duties of the Brazoria County District Clerk on July 2, 2010. 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. Bring money. Jurors may donate their pay to a number of organizations that have been approved by the Brazoria County Commissioners Court. 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. These rules apply to jurors the same as they apply to the parties and to me. Jurors are paid for their service. "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. If you have questions about your jury summons or jury duty, please contact the appropriate court or judge as indicated on the jury summons. "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. All Rights Reserved. I am of sound mind and good moral character. Jury service is a privilege that offers the average citizen an unequaled opportunity to influence and deliberate over fundamental matters of justice. RELATED: Families want answers in Brazoria County jury selection: 'This is ridiculous'. 111 E. Locust St. (Texas Gov't Code 62.0141. 300 East 26th Street. Rhonda Barchak was the Brazoria County District Clerk for 11 years. The district attorney considers the case closed, but it may not be over. The easiest way to get out of jury duty is by not being qualified in the first place. You then might be asked to provide new dates when you can serve. Judicial Committee on Information Technology, Task Force on Judicial Emergency Preparedness, Texas Commission to Expand Civil Legal Services, Timothy Cole Exoneration Review Commission, Guardianship Abuse, Fraud and Exploitation Deterrence Program (GAFEDP), Pretrial Risk Assessment Information System for Texas, Texas Records and Information Locator (TRAIL). "The men and women who are called upon to serve on juries in both our federal and state courts have maintained a standard of fairness and excellence throughout the history of our country. Entering the courthouse with a prohibited weapon is against the law. Texas does not specify the randomization method that clerks must use, he said, so Barchaks system was fairer than simply shuffling the cards. Searchable records from law enforcement. 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. Call, or visit the court's website if listed above. *Please call to verify. Do not seek information contained in law books, dictionaries, public or private records or elsewhere, which is not admitted in evidence. 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. A Right-wing Cabal Took Over Odessas Municipal Government. The FBI says per Department of Justice policy . 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 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. 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. 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. Find your jury summons. 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. You dont need training to read the Code of Criminal Procedure, Sheppard said. Multiple judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and dozens of other county employees were privy to the process of jury empanelment, he said, and no one ever expressed any dissatisfaction or complaint about the process, as the process did not disenfranchise [any] potential jurors. Top officials, including Brazoria County Judge Matt Sebesta, declined requests for an interview. 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. Be a resident of this state and a resident of the county in which you are to serve as a juror. 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. Now Shes Auctioning Off Her Archive. Is any of the above incorrect? 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. - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more. by: Magnolia832 4 OP. 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. Be of sound mind and good moral character. 979-388-1836 (Brazosport) Please enable JavaScript in your browser for a better user experience. (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. Note that jurors and others can be called upon to testify in open court about acts of jury misconduct. "So they would have a stack of people who were white residents of Pearland, nonwhite residents of Pearland. Barchaks methods were widely known to county officials, Lewis said. To ensure the safety of everyone at the courthouse, expect to be screened through a metal detector and X-ray unit. At some point during the jury selection process, prospective jurors are given an oath by which they swear or affirm to tell the truth when answering questions about their qualifications as jurors. The DA's office has received information that leads them to believe jury panels may have been assembled improperly. At this point, we do not know how long these alleged irregularities may have been going on. In the event of any conflicts, the instructions and procedures given to you by the judge or the court should be followed. 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 . Rest assured that there is usually a valid reason for any delays and the judge is aware that you are waiting. Mrs. Barchak remains grateful for the opportunity to have served her community. Also, you should dress comfortably because you may be in the courthouse for the entire day. Its daily. Brazoria County, TX Mugshots, Arrests, charges, current and former inmates. (This does not apply if the jury wheel has been reconstituted since your service as a petit juror. (979) 864-1836. Unfortunately there are no business/self-employment exemptions administered by the state legislature at this time. If you were summoned and you no longer reside in Angleton, contact the voter registration office to have your named removed from their list. ", 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. ), (Texas Gov't Code 62.111. 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. Brazoria County, Phone Number: 979-864-1200 *Not location specific. To be qualified to serve on a jury, the person must: 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. . 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