Austin Jury Instructions
Juror Instructions:
P-126-1
Posted: 11/6/2009 Updated!
Jurors 2-4, 12, 15, 18, 22, 24-27, 31, 34, 35, 37, 40, 42, 43, 45, 46, 49, 51, 52, 55, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65-67, 70, 72, 74-76, 78-81, 88-90, 92-95, 99, 102, 104, 108, 110, 111, 114, 120, Monday, November 9th, at 7:45 a.m. at the Austin U.S. Courthouse.
Please note the temperature in the building varies, so a light weight jacket may be needed.
All other Jury Numbers, unless otherwise notified, you do not need to report the week of November 9th.
Please check the website again the day before your report date for any possible changes.
INFORMATION ABOUT FEDERAL JURY SERVICE
- LOCATION:
- United States District Courthouse
200 West 8th Street
Austin, Texas 78701
Courthouse Map
Homer Thornberry Judicial Building
903 San Jacinto Street, Room 360
Austin, Texas 78701
Thornberry Bldg. Map
Via Google:
Main Courthouse Location
Thornberry Courthouse Location
Unless notified otherwise, you will report for jury duty to the Jury Assembly Room on the third floor of the U.S. District Courthouse. The Jury Assembly Room is located in Room 300. - ENTERING COURTHOUSE:
- Please have a picture identification card available to present when entering the courthouse building.
- PARKING:
- If you choose to travel by personal vehicle, there are parking lots located at Nueces between 8th and 9th Street, at 9th and San Antonio (behind Austin Public Library), at 300 W. 6th Street Parking Garage, and also at 7th Street between Guadalupe and Lavaca. You may park at any bank garage if public spaces are available. Do not park at parking meters. We cannot dismiss parking tickets. You may also access the Capital Metro's website at Capital Metro to get information on available bus service in your area.
- YOUR SUMMONS:
- Your summons includes important information about your jury service in Federal Court.
How long will I serve?
Your jury panel is subject to being called during the next TWO MONTHS, starting from the day listed on your summons.
- What day do I begin my service?
Your Summons will instruct you to report on a certain day and time. Please allow the entire day for your jury service.
The summons indicates that I am on call for two months. How will I be informed about when to report?
Under the "Instructions" section of your summons, it directs jurors to access our website or call a code-a-phone message. Both sources will provide you information regarding your jury service. When accessing either source, it is important to know your jury panel number and juror number that is listed on your summons. (Example: P-121-1 and Juror No. 32)
- What is the expected length and frequency of my service?
Jury selections are scheduled on Mondays with very few exceptions. If you report for jury duty and are not selected, you will receive instructions to call each Friday after 5:30 p.m. and Sunday after 6:00 p.m. for further instructions. Jurors can be summoned more than once during their two month term of service and can serve on more than one trial during that term. If you are selected for a trial and it lasts more than one day, the judge will dismiss the jury each evening and instruct you as to what time you will need to report in the next day. Most of the trials last from 2 - 5 days. If the trial continues later into the evening than expected, you will be given enough time to get in touch with your family to make any necessary arrangements. - JUROR QUALIFICATION QUESTIONNAIRE:
- Enclosed with your summons you will find a Juror Qualification Questionnaire. It is very important that you complete this form and return it as soon as possible. All blanks must be answered. If a question does not pertain to you please mark with a N/A (Not Applicable). You will receive a self-addressed, postage paid envelope to be used when returning the completed Juror Qualification Questionnaire.
- EXCUSES:
- Requests to be excused or postponed from jury service at any time during your term of service should be sent to the address below. Enclosed in summons mail-out you will find an excuse form that you can use to submit your excuse in writing. Do not write your request on the questionnaire. Your written excuse may be mailed in the same envelope as your questionnaire and you must include the Jury Panel assigned to you. If you have any temporary conflicts, planned trips, meetings, doctor appointments, etc., during the two month term you are summoned, you need to submit this information immediately, or you may not be excused for that day. This office will notify you by letter immediately upon receipt of the Judge's reply to your request to be excused. Do not assume your request has been granted. There are very few automatic exemptions from federal jury service. Address all requests to:
Clerk, United States District Court
Attention: Jury Clerk
200 W. 8th Street, Room 130
Austin, Texas 78701
OR
you may email your request to: Austin Jury Clerk.
Please remember that you are not excused until you receive a response from the Court.
If you require an extreme hardship excuse or postponement after you start your term of service, submit your request immediately. Do not wait until you receive another summons to report.
If you submit a request to be excused or postponed on the day you are directed to report, and the Court grants your request, you will not be reimbursed for attendance, hotel, mileage or parking fee.
Jurors who fail to report for jury duty and who have not been excused by the Court may be served a Show Cause Order by a United States Deputy Marshal. Those jurors will be ordered to appear before the Court to show cause why they should not be held in contempt of the Jury Service and Selection Act. Contempt penalties range from a $1,000 fine, imprisoned not more than three days, ordered to perform community service, or any combination thereof. - JUROR FEES:
-
- A $40.00 daily attendance fee is paid for each day you report for jury duty (with the exception of Federal Government employees).
- A prescribed rate per mile is paid for the distance traveled to and from a juror's residence by the shortest practical route in going to and returning from the place of service.
- Jurors who travel 70 miles or more, one way, from Austin are eligible to receive a subsistence allowance for lodging if they choose to stay overnight. You may travel the day before you are instructed to report. You will be reimbursed a set per diem for each night you are required to stay for jury service. You will need to provide the jury clerk with your hotel receipts. If an on-line hotel booking service is used, the following two documents must be provided to the jury clerk: 1) Receipt from the on-line service and, 2) Receipt from the hotel detailing when the juror checked-in and checked-out. This documentation can be provided in a letter from the hotel. A lone receipt from the on-line service will not satisfy the documentation our office needs to reimburse you in a timely manner. A list of hotels in downtown Austin is available.
- CONDUCT OF JURORS:
- The following is a guideline for courtroom decorum which jurors are asked to observe:
- Rise when addressing or being addressed by the Judge and always begin your answer to a question by stating your juror number.
- No tobacco in any form at any time.
- No propping of feet on tables and/or chairs.
- No bottles, beverage containers, paper cups or food shall be brought into the courtroom.
- No gum chewing, reading of newspapers and/or magazines (except as part of evidence in a case).
- All jurors must wear appropriate attire; items such as shorts, cutoffs, tank or tube tops, over-revealing clothing or sandals without socks or hose are not considered proper attire. Jeans (no holes or patches) are considered appropriate attire. Hats may not be worn in the courtroom.
- CHANGE OF NAMES, ADDRESS, TELEPHONE NUMBER AND/OR EMPLOYMENT CHANGES:
- A current mailing address is important and required so that your jury check can be delivered by the postal service. The U.S. Post Office will not forward jury checks.
Jurors who have a change of name, address, phone number and/or employment after they have submitted their juror qualification questionnaire should submit these changes to the Jury Clerk as soon as possible. Be sure to indicate the Panel Number and Juror Number with the change being submitted.
A current day-time phone number is also important in the event we need to contact you by telephone.
If you have additional questions regarding your service to this Court, please feel free to call the Jury Clerk at (512) 916-5896, ext 249.