Next, Lewis said, Barchak would subdivide the two geographical piles into white and non-white jurors. With your cooperation and attention to detail, the jury selection process may run smoother and be completed faster. Mrs. Barchak remains grateful for the opportunity to have served her community. But What Is It? He began hearing rumors about Barchaks system around the time of the DAs announcement in August. Jury service is a privilege that offers the average citizen an unequaled opportunity to influence and deliberate over fundamental matters of justice. Do not accept from, nor give to, any of those persons any favors however slight, such as rides, food, or refreshments. "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. Vous pouvez modifier vos choix tout moment en consultant vos paramtres de vie prive. You are not required to claim an exemption from jury service. Do not mingle with nor talk to the lawyers, the witnesses, the parties, or any other person who might be connected with or interested in the case, except for casual greetings. Please note: Also, you might want to avoid parking in metered parking spaces because you do not know how long you will be in jury service. page at bit.ly/33kzxFb. I am a resident of the City of Angleton for which the court is established. Lewis said Barchak knew nothing about the trials for which jurors were being selected. 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. 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 judge will give you an approximate time when you are assigned to a particular court. Meyers attorney, Dan Cogdell, wouldnt describe the system, but said it involved an attempt to ensure a more diverse venire. At this time the only type of employment that may claim an exemption from jury duty is exemption No. Note that jurors and others can be called upon to testify in open court about acts of jury misconduct. Sometimes the cards were shuffled, and sometimes they were organized according to the order in which the jurors arrived for duty. Angleton, TX 77515, Design By Granicus - Connecting People and Government. I am over 70 years of age. The process by which Barchak assembled the final stack is unclear. The Brazoria County Courthouseis open on M-F from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You might also contact the judge or the district clerk's office or check the local web page for additional information. "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. In the event of any conflicts, the instructions and procedures given to you by the judge or the court should be followed. YES! Do not tell other jurors your own personal experiences nor those of other persons, nor relate any special information. Rhonda Barchak was the Brazoria County District Clerk for 11 years. Brazoria County, TX Mugshots, Arrests, charges, current and former inmates. Wear shoes that are suitable for the court. Though the court or the county may provide parking or reimburse parking costs, you might have to pay them initially. Local judges may restrict certain attire, such as shorts, cutoff, sleeveless shirts, sandals, and hats. You can, however, claim payment if your earnings are in any way affected by your participation. Copyright 2023 KTRK-TV. Texas does not specify the randomization method that clerks must use, he said, so Barchaks system was fairer than simply shuffling the cards. Through service on a jury, a citizen has a direct hand in the administration of justice. Lewis said Barchak received no training on how to randomize the cards, and that she learned the technique from other county employees. ", $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. Do not make personal inspections, observations, investigations, or experiments nor personally view premises, things or articles not produced in court. Allen, TX Arlington, TX Arlington, TX Test . Occasionally, we have a juror who privately seeks out information about a case on trial. Please enable JavaScript in your browser for a better user experience. *Please call to verify. She now had four stacks of cards: Pearland whites, Pearland non-whites, non-Pearland whites, and non-Pearland non-whites. The length of time a case may be in trial varies with each case. Please enable JavaScript in your browser for a better user experience. 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. 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. 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. Your attire should show respect for the court. Barchaks methods were widely known to county officials, Lewis said. 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 . At this point, we do not know how long these alleged irregularities may have been going on. 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 . To be qualified to serve as a juror you must: Jurors are paid for their service. Bring money. 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. 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. The court has the discretion to hear any reasonable sworn excuse of a prospective juror and either release the juror from jury service or reschedule the juror's jury service for another day. ", But, a grand jury chose not to indict her. 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). ANGLETON, Texas - The Texas Rangers Public Integrity Unit is now investigating an alleged corrupt jury selection process in Brazoria County that's been happening for more than a decade. They will have the same instructions and you will understand it when they do. You have just taken an oath that you will render a verdict on the evidence submitted to you under the judge's rulings. You will need to be fair, impartial, and be willing to make decisions that are not based on your personal feelings and biases. Leave them blank to get signed up. Be a resident of this state and a resident of the county in which you are to serve as a juror. Some courthouses may have additional accommodations for you, such as internet access, lap to stations, and reading. In order to qualify for this exemption, the property owner needs to meet the following requirements: Complete the application process.*. ", 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. As a result, you need to follow all of the jury instructions given by the judge throughout the case very carefully. Slectionnez Grer les paramtres pour grer vos prfrences. "I kept telling my son, 'I am not stopping until I come to some kind of conclusions on who did what,'" Hagger said. 111 E. Locust, Suite 500 Occupy the property as your primary residence in the year in which you apply. Her attorney is maintaining her innocence. (. Because jury duty involves some waiting, bring something to read to help you pass the time. The DA's office has received information that leads them to believe jury panels may have been assembled improperly. 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. The length of jury service will vary considerably for summoned jurors. 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. 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. and the Texas Rangers for their thorough and thoughtful investigation. Unfortunately your employer is not currently required by Texas state law to pay you while you are serving jury duty. 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. Step 1: Dress inappropriate clothing: You should dress professionally and appropriately for jury duty. Jurors may donate their pay to a number of organizations that have been approved by the Brazoria County Commissioners Court. 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. 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. files a false claim of exemption from jury service. I am qualified to serve under the Constitution and laws to vote in this county. 500, Angleton, TX 77515. If any of these apply to you, contact the court to verify they observe the exemption. -See JURY SERVICE - Tex. Search Courts. Brazoria County District Courts DO Postpone Jury Dates, 979-864-1836 (Central & West) Williams is serving life for a murder, which Hagger believes he did not commit, and thinks an improper jury played a role in his conviction. any other program(s) approved by the commissioners court. 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