02/21/2025
JURY NOTICE: PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR JURY SUMMONS AND CALL THE NUMBER ON THE FORM TO CONFIRM YOUR SERVICE. Next week, the County Court at Law will be empaneling two (2) juries for VERY important matters - one on Monday, February 24th and one on Wednesday, February 26th. Both trials involve serious and time sensitive matters. Both will also require as many potential jurors as possible for those cases to go forward. Unfortunately, it has become necessary to add this extra form of notice for three key reasons:
1) SUMMONED JUROR RESPONSE TO JURY NOTICES HAS BEEN ABYSMAL. The Courts have been averaging a response rate of 1 potential juror for every 3-4 that are summoned. As such, 300 people may be summoned and, of late, only 75 actually appear. Recently, our sister court was unable to proceed with a felony sexual assault case involving a child victim because even less (approximately 60) potential jurors appeared. Cases of that nature need 80-90 citizens (at a minimum) for a fair jury to be assembled. Changes in law and the prevalence of jury scams in our community have made enforcement of jury notices extremely challenging so courts must largely rely on the people to voluntarily fulfill their duties in this role for justice to be done.
2) MULTIPLE COURTS SOMETIMES SUMMON JURORS FOR A PARTICULAR DAY AND IF ONE COURT NO LONGER REQUIRES A PANEL, PEOPLE MISTAKENLY BELIEVE ALL JURY SERVICE IS CANCELLED. Cases do settle, sickness of parties/witnesses/etc. intervene and any number of other factors may cause a court to not require a summoned panel; however, please pay particular attention to YOUR jury notice and call the number thereon to confirm that any jury panel cancellation applies to YOUR service. Court staff make concerted efforts to update the voicemail notification by close of business the Friday before your scheduled jury service so that people don't unnecessarily travel to the courthouse or make unnecessary arrangements for work/children.
3) YOUR INVOLVEMENT IS NEEDED AND NECESSARY FOR OUR SYSTEM OF JUSTICE TO FUNCTION. It is a quintessential, integral cornerstone of our way of life and our freedoms to have trial by jury. Additionally, it does not matter whether the trial case is criminal or civil in nature, virtually no case only affects just the named parties. In most, there are many, many people whose lives are or will be affected. To name a few - there are witnesses, victims who have been waiting for justice, lawyers, police officers, investigators, medical personnel, lab technicians, accused citizens who have been waiting to learn their fate or finally clear their names, and children seeking a stable home, as well as, countless family and friends who will be impacted by resolution of one single case. Often many, or all, of these folks have had their lives on hold while awaiting an outcome. In short, your service can positively touch the lives of many, many people both seen and unseen in the process. We all understand jury service is a sacrifice, an inconvenience, and an interruption to your daily life - but it is an act that is immediately beneficial to our nation, our state, and our community.
Thank you to all who willing serve when called upon and thank you for sharing this information.
