Please note: 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. Bring money. All Rights Reserved. Most Lake Jackson cases are concluded the same day. My address is _____. Website: http://www.brazoria-county.com/directory.asp, Staff: Senior Administrator - Alice Logsdon. This guide gives you the information you need when you have been called for jury duty and directs you to additional resources that can explain the court system and jury process. Be qualified under the Constitution and laws to vote in this county in which you are to serve as a juror. 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.". Is any of the above incorrect? 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. The district clerks of nearby Wharton, Montgomery, and Matagorda counties said they had never heard of anyone using Barchaks method. Why did I receive a summons and what do I do now? Please enable JavaScript in your browser for a better user experience. 111 E Locust, Rm 102A, Angleton, TX77515-4678 Sometimes the cards were shuffled, and sometimes they were organized according to the order in which the jurors arrived for duty. With your participation as a Texas juror, our constitutional right to an impartial jury is protected. The FBI says per Department of Justice policy . (This does not apply if the jury wheel has been reconstituted since your service as a petit juror. Lewis said Barchak received no training on how to randomize the cards, and that she learned the technique from other county employees. Though the court or the county may provide parking or reimburse parking costs, you might have to pay them initially. You MAY claim an exemption from jury duty if you are: Brazoria County Courthouse 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. A juror's greatest reward is the knowledge that they have discharged this duty faithfully, honorably, and well. I am not under indictment or other legal accusation of a misdemeanor theft, felony theft or any other felony charge. 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." 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. Local judges may restrict certain attire, such as shorts, cutoff, sleeveless shirts, sandals, and hats. For more information visit Brazoria County District Clerk's jury info. 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. We hope you find this information beneficial. What matters to him is that the law is followed, Green says. Physical and mailing address is 111 E. Locust St., Ste. "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. Brazoria County District Clerk's Office under investigation over 'irregularities' in jury process, FBI joins investigation into Brazoria County selection case, activist says, Families want answers in Brazoria County jury selection: 'This is ridiculous', Families want feds to look into Brazoria Co. jury process: 'The truth is always going to come out'. ); or. I am a citizen of the state of Texas and a resident of Brazoria County. 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. 3. You will need to be fair, impartial, and be willing to make decisions that are not based on your personal feelings and biases. Most Lake Jackson cases are concluded the same day. Selleck, the district attorney, confirmed for the first time on Friday that Barchack sorted juror cards into the four categories Lewis described. City Employees Are Heading for the Exits. 300 East 26th Street. ", 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. Angleton, TX 77515, Design By Granicus - Connecting People and Government. Also, you should dress comfortably because you may be in the courthouse for the entire day. jury duty. Next, Lewis said, Barchak would subdivide the two geographical piles into white and non-white jurors. The Texas Rangers confirmed to ABC13 that their investigation is complete. I am a resident of the City of Angleton for which the court is established. ~ 2 years, 0 mos ago Jan 18, '21 2:03pm. Brazoria County is 43 percent white, 31 . Brazoria County Jury Duty is Canceled for Tuesday, January 19, 2021. This is improper. As a result of her idiosyncratic system, thousands of verdicts could potentially be overturned, and the county could face an avalanche of lawsuits claiming wrongful convictions. If anyone attempts to discuss the case, report it to the judge at once. The former district clerk in question has now retired. I have not been convicted of theft or any felony. Investigation underway into jury assembly process in Brazoria County. Brazoria County District Courts DO Postpone Jury Dates. 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. Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more. 111 E. Locust, Suite 500 Jury service is an important civic and community duty. Exemption from Jury Service). Penalty for Defaulting Jurors.). I just have to believe there was some purpose behind dividing the jurors between Pearland and the rest of the county. The law requires jurors be selected at random, said Selleck, also a Republican, and it is this process that is alleged to have been conducted improperly.. Its daily. She always did everything possible to ensure juries in Brazoria County reflected a properly representative cross section of the community. the Texas Crime Victim's Compensation Fund, a designated local family violence shelter; or. The law says that all individuals are competent jurors unless specifically disqualified. However, you may choose to be excused if you: (Texas Government Code 62.106. Unfortunately there are no business/self-employment exemptions administered by the state legislature at this time. You dont need training to read the Code of Criminal Procedure, Sheppard said. Jury lists are created using names randomly selected from our water utility listing. (The city, with a population of 122,000, is the conservative countys largest, accounting for one third of its population. ); 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. 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. Please write on the front or back of the summons Deceased and return to our office. You can, however, claim payment if your earnings are in any way affected by your participation. Rest assured that there is usually a valid reason for any delays and the judge is aware that you are waiting. 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. 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. Activist Quanell X, who has been public about his concerns for months, staging rallies and protests outside of the county courthouse, said he wants the department of justice involved. The judge may give you an opportunity to discuss any individual personal hardships that jury service may cause to you. Slectionnez Grer les paramtres pour grer vos prfrences. 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). These rules apply to jurors the same as they apply to the parties and to me. 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. And its full of great reads, yall. August 27, 2021, 9:30 PM. To ensure the safety of everyone at the courthouse, expect to be screened through a metal detector and X-ray unit. Own the property in the year in which you apply. 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. The length of time a case may be in trial varies with each case. A prospective juror must be released entirely or rescheduled if the juror is required to appear in court on a religious holy day that is observed by the juror. For at least six years, the district clerk in Brazoria County used a highly unusual and possibly illegal system to assemble jury panels. To be qualified to serve as a juror you must: Jurors are paid for their service. ), (Texas Gov't Code 62.111. Receiving a summons for jury duty does not mean that you will actually serve on a jury. Jury lists are created using names randomly selected from our water utility listing. At this time the only type of employment that may claim an exemption from jury duty is exemption No. 500, Angleton, TX 77515. At this point, we do not know how long these alleged irregularities may have been going on. Now Shes Auctioning Off Her Archive. Listen for the judge to give you instructions about when to come forward to discuss your need to be excused based on some hardship. 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. The district attorney considers the case closed, but it may not be over. Be sure that you know where you are supposed to report. Solicitation Opportunities With Brazos County, National/State Veteran Cemetery Locations, Request Brazos County Birth, Death, and/or Marriage Certificate. 111 E. Locust St. To serve as a juror you must meet the following qualifications: For additional information about Juror exemptions please view the following document: - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more. 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. 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. Be of sound mind and good moral character. Let us know here, 23rd District Court111 E Locust, Rm 4040.0 mile away, 149th District Court111 E Locust, Rm 214A0.0 mile away, 239th District Court111 E Locust, Rm 310A0.0 mile away, 2023 Everything-Bytes | Terms of Use & Privacy Policy. Those stacks would then be used to assemble the venires (panels from which juries are drawn) for the weeks trials. be a resident of this state and of the county in which you are to serve as a juror; be qualified under the Constitution and laws to vote in the county in which you are to serve as a juror (Note: You do not have to be registered to vote to be qualified to vote); be of sound mind and good moral character; 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; and. Houston Chronicle Reporter Anna Bauman read the report and explains how Barchak may have violated Texas law which states jury selection must be random. 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. According to Lewis, a defense attorney who has represented such high-profile clients as Enron chief executive Ken Lay, convicted murderer Robert Durst, and Mexican drug kingpin Osiel Crdenas Guilln, Barchak would take the full stack of around 200 to 250 juror cards into a back room, where she and other county employees would first sort them into two piles: Pearland residents and non-Pearland residents. If any of these apply to you, contact the court to verify they observe the exemption. As a juror, you are in a position of responsibility. You have just taken an oath that you will render a verdict on the evidence submitted to you under the judge's rulings. 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. Families want answers in Brazoria County jury selection: 'This is ridiculous' By Courtney Carpenter. With your cooperation and attention to detail, the jury selection process may run smoother and be completed faster. Jos R. Ralat is Texas Monthlys taco editor, writing about tacos and Mexican food. 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. (Texas Government Code 62.102. page at bit.ly/33kzxFb. . Jury Online Find your court. 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. Copyright 2023 KTRK-TV. Figuring out what to do when you have been summoned for jury duty can be confusing and frustrating. 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. Occasionally, we have a juror who privately seeks out information about a case on trial. Brazoria County resident Linda Hagger believes her son, Brandon Williams, was wrongly convicted 11 years ago. Are over 70 years of age (You may also request a permanent age 70 exemption. Visit Brazoria County reflected a properly representative cross section of the summons Deceased and return to office... 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