Western District of Texas

INFORMATION ABOUT FEDERAL JURY SERVICE

Welcome to jury duty for the U. S. District Court, Western District of Texas. This information will assist in answering initial questions you may have about jury duty. When you report for jury duty you will receive instructions that explain your duties and obligations as a juror.

LOCATION: The U. S. Courts Federal Building is located at 111 East Broadway, near downtown Del Rio.

EXCUSES: Federal Law allowing the granting of excuses is very strict. REQUEST FOR EXCUSES/POSTPONEMENTS SHOULD BE MAILED WITH THE COMPLETED JUROR QUALIFICATION QUESTIONNAIRE FORM IN THE RETURN ENVELOPE PROVIDED. Your request must indicate the Jury Panel and juror number assigned to you. If you have any prior commitments such as trips, meetings, doctor's appointments, etc., during the two month period you are summoned, you need to submit this information to the Court. This office will notify you either by telephone or letter immediately upon receipt of the Judge's reply to your request. You are not to assume your request has been granted. If a situation arises after you have submitted your completed Juror Qualification Questionnaire, you may fax your request to (830) 703-2071 or mail your request to:

Clerk, United States District Court
Attention: Jury Clerk
111 East Broadway, Suite 100
Del Rio, Texas 78840

The Court will only entertain requests for excuses/postponments for emergency situations on the day you are directed to report. If the Court grants your request, you will not be reimbursed the attendance or mileage 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 Deputy United States 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 $100 fine to three (3) days imprisonment; or both.

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). Also enclosed is a self-addressed, postage paid envelope to be used when returning the completed Juror Qualification Questionnaire.

REPORTING FOR JURY DUTY: It is important that you report on time for jury duty. You should allow the entire day for your jury service.

CELL PHONES ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE COURTHOUSE. PLEASE LEAVE YOUR CELL PHONE AT HOME OR IN YOUR VEHICLE.

Your Summons will instruct you to report on a certain day and give you the Jury Panel and number to which you are assigned. (Example: P-20-2, Juror 2). Please read this summons carefully and follow the instructions exactly. For your convenience we have provided two ways for you to access your jury instructions. You can access your instructions by (1) calling the Code-A-Phone number or by (2) accessing our Website.

Reporting Instructions via Code-A-Phone

You must call the Code-A-Phone number on your summons after 5:00 p.m. (not earlier) the night before you are to report. If the day before is a Sunday, the recorded message will be on ALL day. The recorded message is on all night until 8:00 a.m. the next morning. The recorded message will refer to the Jury Panel indicated on your summons. The message will also indicate a number range directing those jurors assigned a number within the range to appear for jury duty. Jurors are on call for jury duty for two months beginning with the day of your summons. ALL jurors are instructed to call each Sunday thereafter, during the two month term of service.

REMEMBER: When you call the Code-A-Phone and the recording does not include your juror number, do not appear. ALL jurors are instructed to call each Sunday during the two month term of service.

Reporting Instructions via Website

During your term of service, check our website after 5:00 p.m. (not earlier) the night before you are to report even if the night before is a Sunday or holiday. The instructions on the website will refer to the Jury Panel indicated on your summons. Additionally, the instructions will indicate a number range directing those jurors assigned a number within that range to appear for jury duty. Jurors are on call for jury duty the entire two months beginning with the day of your summons. ALL jurors are instructed to call the Code-A-Phone or access our website each Sunday evening thereafter, during their summons months.

LENGTH AND FREQUENCY OF SERVICE: Your jury panel is subject to being called for two months, beginning with the day of your summons. Jury selections are usually scheduled on Mondays or Tuesdays with some exceptions. If you report for jury duty and are not selected, you will receive instructions to call each Sunday during the two months, for further instructions. Again, jurors can be summoned more than once during the two month period and jurors can serve on more than one trial during the period of service. 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 the next day. Most of the trials are estimated from 1 to 3 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 arrangements.

FACILITIES: You will report for jury duty to the Jury Assembly Room on the first floor of the courthouse. Restroom facilities are located on this floor. THERE IS NO EATING FACILITY IN THE BUILDING.

PARKING: Public parking is available in the lot next to the courthouse, at the corner of South Main Street and East Broadway and in the lot across the street, at Broadway and Pecan. PLEASE DO NOT PARK IN THE FUNERAL HOME PARKING LOT. Be advised that parking is limited, please allow time prior to reporting to find parking.

JUROR FEES: A $40.00 daily attendance fee is paid for each day you report for jury duty, even if you are not selected to hear a case. 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. Please indicate the one-way mileage on the Juror Qualification Questionnaire. If you live more than 70 miles (one way) from Del Rio, you may travel the day before you are instructed to report. You will be reimbursed $109.00 for each night you are required to stay for jury service. (NOTE: You may want to pack several days clothing in case you are selected as a juror and decide to stay overnight.) You need only provide the jury clerk with your hotel receipts.

CHANGE OF NAME, ADDRESS, TELEPHONE NUMBER AND/OR EMPLOYMENT: 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 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.

A current daytime phone number is also important in the event we need to contact you by telephone.

ATTENDANCE CERTIFICATES: Jurors will be given an Attendance Certificate showing the date of service. When you serve on a trial, Attendance Certificates are issued at the end of the trial and are inclusive of the first day you reported until discharged by the Court. Some employers require this certificate.

If you have additional questions regarding your service to this Court, please feel free to call the Jury Clerk at (830) 703-2101. Our toll free telephone number is 1-888-871-6980.

We hope you will find your term of jury service an interesting and satisfying experience. When you report for jury duty, you will receive additional instructions about your duties and obligations as a juror.

WILLIAM G. PUTNICKI
Clerk of Court