Reporting for Jury Service
If you have been summoned, report by 8 a.m. to the Fredville Municipal Court at 120 Civic Center Drive, Fredville, TX 75999. Please complete the Juror Questionnaire before you arrive, and bring the summons you received in the mail.
Jurors may park free in the court lot on the west side of the building.
Every juror who appears for service is paid $6 for each day served. Jury trials in municipal court seldom last more than a day. If your employer needs proof that you attended, the court will give you a juror verification form.
Jury trials are held at 8 a.m. on the second, third and fourth Thursdays of each month.
How a Jury Is Chosen
A jury trial begins when a panel of potential jurors is brought into the courtroom. Panel members take an oath to answer truthfully when asked whether they are qualified to hear the case. This questioning, called voir dire, helps both sides seat a fair and impartial jury.
Each party may question the panel before anyone is selected. The prosecutor, for instance, may ask whether you have any connection to the case or any bias against someone involved in it. Other questions explore whether a panel member holds views or feelings that could stand in the way of a fair verdict.
The court can excuse a panel member who is shown to be unable to judge the case impartially. Each side may also strike up to three panel members without giving a reason, as long as the strikes are not based on race or gender. The first six people left on the panel after these steps make up the jury.
Who Is Qualified to Serve
Under Section 62.102 of the Texas Government Code, you qualify to serve as a petit juror if you:
- are 18 or older;
- are a U.S. citizen living in the city;
- are mentally sound and of good moral character;
- can read and write;
- have never been convicted of a felony or a theft offense; and
- are not currently under indictment or other legal accusation for a felony or theft.
Who May Claim an Exemption
Section 62.106 of the Texas Government Code lets you claim an exemption from jury service if you:
- are older than 75;
- have legal custody of a child under 10 who would be left without adequate supervision while you serve;
- attend a public or private high school or other secondary school;
- are enrolled in, and actually attending, a college or other institution of higher education;
- work for or serve as an officer of the Texas Senate, the Texas House of Representatives or any legislative branch agency, board, commission or office while the Legislature is in session;
- are the main caregiver for someone who cannot care for himself or herself, and you do not work outside the home; or
- sat on a petit jury in a county of 250,000 or more residents within the three years before the date of your summons.
Rescheduling Your Service
To request a new jury date, send the court a letter that includes:
- your first name
- your last name
- the date of your scheduled service
- the time of your scheduled service
- the reason you need to reschedule
Mail rescheduling requests to the Fredville Municipal Court, 120 Civic Center Drive, Fredville, TX 75999. Claims of exemption or disqualification must also be made in writing by mail, because the court cannot handle them over the phone.
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