Del Rio Jury Instructions

 

JURY INFORMATION AVAILABLE 24 HOURS A DAY AT:

Juror Questionnaire

I Received A Questionnaire

Fill out your Juror Information Form and Supplemental Questionnaire online.

Jury Summons

I Received A Summons

Respond to your Jury Summons online.

Jury Duty Status

When Do I Report

View your Jury Duty Status and Reporting Instructions online. You can also call either 1-888-587-9329 or 1-210-472-4912 for the same information.


Submit Excuse

I Want To Be Excused

Submit an Excuse or Request a Postponement online.

INFORMATION ABOUT FEDERAL JURY SERVICE

LOCATION:
United States District Courthouse
111 East Broadway
Del Rio, Texas 78840
Courthouse Location

You will report to the first floor jury assembly room.

ENTERING COURTHOUSE:
Please do not bring cell phones in the courthouse. Cell phones and smart watches are prohibited. Additionally, you will be asked to remove any metal objects before passing through the metal detectors.

PARKING:
Public parking is available in the following parking lots:

  • Visitor parking lot cater-corner from the courthouse (corner of Broadway Street and Pecan Street).
  • Employee parking lot (corner of Main Street and Broadway Street).
  • Along the streets.

The Post Office parking lot is designated for post office customers only. Be advised that parking is limited; please allow ample time prior to reporting in order to ensure a parking space.

YOUR SUMMONS:
Your summons packet includes important information about your jury service in Federal Court.

How long will I serve?
Your jury pool is based on an “on-call two month period” basis.

What day do I begin my service?
Your jury packet includes your designated date(s) of service. (Allow the entire day for your jury service.)

How will I be informed about when to report?
Jurors are instructed to access our message system every Sunday for the duration of your service. When accessing our message system via phone or the web, you must enter your Juror Participant Number. The Participant Number can be found on your summons.

Jurors may receive a courtesy automated phone call reminder regarding when they are scheduled to report.

What is the expected length and frequency of my service?
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.

JUROR INFORMATION FORM:
Enclosed with your summons you will find a Juror Information Form and Supplemental Questionnaire. Please complete these forms and return them as soon as possible. It is very important that you include your phone number, in the event our office needs to contact you should changes in the Court’s schedule occur. All blanks must be answered. If a question does not pertain to you, please mark with a N/A (Not Applicable). A self-addressed, postage paid envelope is included in your packet to be used when returning the completed two forms.

EXCUSES:
Federal Law allowing the granting of excuses is very strict. Request for excuses and postponements should be mailed with the completed Juror Information Form and Supplemental Questionnaire in the return enveloped provided. Your request must indicate the juror participant number assigned to you. Enclosed in the jury packet mail-out you will find an excuse form that you can use to submit your excuse in writing. 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. A juror can check the status of their request by accessing our Jury Messaging System (see section on Excuse Request Status, below). You are not to assume your request has been granted. If a situation arises after you have submitted your completed Juror Information Form and Supplemental 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

txwd_jury_delrio@txwd.uscourts.gov

OR

you may also submit your excuse request on-line:   Request Postponement or Excuse.

The Court will only entertain requests for excuses or postponements for emergency situations on the day you are directed to report.

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 a $1,000 fine, imprisoned not more than three days, ordered to perform community service, or any combination thereof.

EXCUSE REQUEST STATUS:
The decision of the Court will be made available to you by accessing our Jury Messaging System at 888-587-9329 or on-line at Reporting Instructions. Please make sure you have your Participant Number available when accessing the message system. When an excuse request is submitted to our office, the Jury Messaging System will either state that your request has been granted or denied. Allow 3-5 business days before accessing the Jury Messaging System to check the status of your excuse request.

JUROR FEES:
A $50.00 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 Information Form.

Jurors who reside 70 or more miles from the courthouse are eligible to receive reimbursement for the exact amount that is detailed on their lodging receipt, up to $96, which is the maximum GSA lodging rate for Del Rio. If a juror elects lodging that is in excess of the GSA lodging rate, the juror will be responsible for the overage. Jurors incurring an overnight stay will also receive a Meal and Incidental Expense allowance of $59 for each day of travel, including the day the juror returns home. The use of online booking sites are discouraged since the court does not reimburse booking fees. 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 the nightly lodging rate and the time when the juror checked-in and checked-out.

COURTROOM DECORUM:
The following is a guideline for courtroom decorum which jurors are asked to observe:

  1. Rise when addressing or being addressed by the Judge and always begin your answer to a question by stating your juror number.
  2. No tobacco in any form at any time,
  3. No propping of feet on tables and/or chairs,
  4. No bottles, beverage containers, paper cups or food shall be brought into the Courtroom,
  5. No gum chewing, reading of newspapers and/or magazines (except as part of evidence in a case),
  6. Appropriate dress is required. Coat and tie is preferred for male jurors. Female jurors may wear pant suits or dresses.

CHANGE OF NAMES, ADDRESS, TELEPHONE NUMBER AND/OR EMPLOYMENT CHANGES:
Jurors who have a change of name, address, phone number and/or employment after they have submitted their Juror Information Form should submit these changes to the Jury Clerk as soon as possible. Be sure to indicate the Juror Participant 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.

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 or email at txwd_jury_delrio@txwd.uscourts.gov