I Am A Juror

As a citizen, there is nothing more fundamental to our democracy and no better way to participate in the justice system than by serving as a juror. In these extraordinary times of COVID-19, the Harris County Court System is determined to provide the safest possible environment for everyone who participates in our justice system. We have put in place protocols and procedures approved by Harris County public health officials to protect our juries as you help protect the rights guaranteed to all of us in the Sixth and Seventh Amendments of our United States Constitution. We look forward to welcoming you.

For General Information Regarding Jury Service go to Texas Uniform Jury Service Handbook

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To Pre-Register for Jury Service or For More Information about Your Jury Summons

Visit Pre-Registration Site

Juror Qualifications

To serve as a juror you must meet all of the following:

  • Be a citizen of the United States of America
  • Be 18 years of age or older
  • Be a resident of Harris County
  • Be able to read and write English
  • Be of sound mind

If you do not meet all of the above qualifications, indicate so during the pre-registration process.

I Do Not Meet Qualifications

Juror Exemptions

You can take an exemption from jury duty if:

  • You are over 70 years of age;
  • You have legal custody of a child younger than 12 years of age and your service on the jury requires leaving the child without adequate supervision;
  • You are a student of public or private secondary school;
  • You are a person enrolled and in actual attendance at an institution of higher education;
  • You are an officer or an employee of the Senate, the House of Representatives, or any department, commission, board, office, or other agency in the legislative branch of state government;
  • You are summoned for service and have served as a petit juror in Harris County during the current jury wheel reconstitution period. The current period began September 14, 2018. Summons prior to that date do not qualify for this exemption. This exemption does not apply to Federal and Municipal Court jury service;
  • You are the primary caretaker of a person who is unable to care for himself or herself. This does not apply to health care workers; or
  • 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.

If you think you may be exempt from jury duty, indicate so during the pre-registration process.

I am Exempt

Juror Pay

Jurors will receive $6 for the first day of service. Jurors serving more than one day of jury service will be compensated at a rate calculated by the State Comptroller based upon available state funding. Payment is processed at the end of jury service, and a check is mailed to jurors within a week of jury service, unless the juror elects to donate their jury pay to a qualifying charity.

Qualifying charities can be found here:

View Charities

For the Hearing Impaired

For persons with hearing impairments, the Harris County District Clerk offers equipment designed to transmit high quality audio for hearing assistance and language interpretation applications. Sign language and captioning are also available upon request. Please contact the Harris County District Clerk at (713)755-6392 or via email at [email protected] at least one day before you are scheduled to appear. The District Clerk’s office will contact the company that provides these two services and get assistance for you scheduled.

Contact Info

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Directions

When you report for jury duty, go to NRG Arena. If you are selected as juror for a specific trial at NRG Arena, you will report to that court which is located in one of the Downtown Courthouses.

Parking

NRG Arena: Parking is free at NRG Arena.

Downtown Courthouses: Parking Garage is located at 1401 Congress for jurors. Entrance to the garage is on Austin or LaBranch St. The discounted rate is $6.00 for the entire day.

    • Please bring your parking ticket with you
    • Obtain a discount parking coupon from the jury personnel that will be used with the parking ticket
    • Prepay at the kiosk in the jury room or pay after your service at the kiosk in the parking garage
    • If you serve multiple days show the top portion of your summons to the attendant for the discounted rate
    • There may also be other surface parking around the courthouse

For More Directions

Go To Directions Page

Contact Information

Jury Summons/NRG Arena

If you have questions or concerns regarding your Jury Summons or NRG Arena, email [email protected] or call (713) 755-6392.

 

Jury Service/State and County Courts

If selected as a juror and you have questions or concerns regarding jury service for your particular court, call the court’s mainline number.

Go To Contact Information Page

Plan Ahead by Getting More Information

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Review COVID-19 Safety Measures

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What to Bring

  • Face covering will be required in all of the downtown courthouses. If you do not have a face covering, one will be provided to you.
  • Be sure to bring your completed jury summons with you to jury service.
  • You may bring water or snacks. Food and drinks will be available for purchase.
  • A paperback book or other form of reading material.

What to Wear

  • Dress professionally, but with comfort in mind
  • Wear or bring socks; you must remove shoes while going through security
  • A light jacket or sweater if you tend to get cold

When You Get There

  • Wear your face covering
  • Maintain social distancing
  • Adhere to markers on the ground and seats indicating social distancing
  • Use hand sanitizers provided throughout the downtown courthouses

FAQ

Jury Service

Why am I receiving a jury summons?

Jury trials are an essential part of our legal system. Harris County is slowly beginning the process of re-starting jury trials. Jurors are selected from a randomized list of residents who are registered to vote in the county and/or have a Texas driver’s license or a Texas ID card.

 

My jury summons does not have a date, location, or time. How do I know when or where to appear?

Register online, email [email protected], or call (713) 755-6392 to receive date, location, and time for jury service.

Registering prior to reporting in-person is important. The registration process includes COVID-19 prescreening questions that identifies individuals that should be excused or rescheduled prior to reporting in person for jury service. This process also allows for the scheduling of smaller groups to comply with social distancing. After you register online, by email, or by phone, the District Clerk will contact you to tell you where and when to appear. It is important that you arrive at your scheduled time at NRG Arena so that social distancing and other COVID-19 precautions may be maintained.

 

Where do I report when I know when my jury service has been scheduled?

Jurors will assemble at NRG Arena to allow for social distancing. Please enter NRG Arena through NRG Gate 5 which is located on the southwest side of the complex, between Fannin and Kirby on the 610 access road at 1770 S. Loop W. Houston TX 77054. Face coverings are required. If you do not have a face covering, one will be provided to you. Social distancing (staying 6 feet from other people who are not from your household) will be required. Once you enter NRG Gate 5, you are required to answer COVID-19 screening questions and have your temperature taken.

 

How long will my jury service last?

Plan for jury selection to last one day. If you are selected to serve on a jury, the judge will tell you how long your trial is expected to last. However, most jury trials last between 3-5 days.

 

What do I do in the event of an emergency?

Contact the jury room staff at [email protected] or call (713) 755-6392. They will forward your email or message to the judge to address your issue. If the emergency arises after you are selected to serve on a jury, you would need to contact the court in which you are serving. See www.hcdistrictclerk.com for contact information.

 

What do I get paid?

Jurors will receive $6 for the first day of service. Jurors serving more than one day of jury service will be compensated at a rate calculated by the State Comptroller based upon available state funding. Payment is processed at the end of jury service, and a check is mailed to jurors within a week of jury service, unless the juror elects to donate their jury pay to a qualifying charity.

 

Can I be excused from jury service if I have special circumstances?

Any special circumstances will need to be brought up when you register for jury service or with the judge at the time of jury service. The law does not allow persons to be excused because they are the sole owner of a business nor because their employer will not pay for jury service.

 

What if I lost my jury summons?

If you have lost your summons, you may print a copy of your summons at www.hcdistrictclerk.com or upon arrival please request a copy at check-in.

 

When in doubt, ask the judge?

You have the right to communicate with the judge regarding any matter affecting your service, including but not limited to physical comfort, special needs, questions regarding evidence, and the Charge of the Court. To ask your judge a question you should inform the clerk of the court or bailiff that you have a question for the judge. Do not contact the judge directly.

COVID-19 Safety Measures

What do I do if I am not feeling well before attending jury service?

If you are feeling ill before attending jury service, contact the District Clerk at (713) 755-6392 for further instructions.

 

What if I am self-quarantining?

If you have been instructed to self-quarantine, contact the District Clerk at (713) 755-6392 for further instructions.

 

Will hand sanitizer be available?

Yes. Hand sanitizer will be readily available.

 

What precautions are being taken when I report for jury service?

Face coverings are required. If you do not have a face covering, one will be provided to you. Maintaining 6 (six) feet social distancing from others is required. All persons will also have to answer COVID-19 screening questions and will have their temperature taken. Social distancing will be practiced all throughout NRG Arena. Please see COVID-19 Precautions for more details.

 

Do I have to wear a face covering to jury service?

Yes. If you do not have a face covering, one will be provided to you.

 

Will I have to practice social distancing at jury service?

Yes. There are footprint markers placed throughout NRG Arena to encourage all to practice social distancing whenever waiting in lines or being transferred from room to room. The seating has been arranged to maintain social distancing.

NRG Arena

How do I get to NRG Arena?

Please enter NRG Arena through NRG Gate 5 which is located off of IH-610 South Loop between Fannin and Kirby at 1770 S. Loop W. Houston TX 77054.

 

How do I know where to park?

Once you enter NRG Arena through NRG Gate 5, please follow the path set up for you via the orange cones to proceed to the initial COVID-19 screening. After passing the screening, simply proceed forward following the path of the orange cones to get to the parking area.

 

How much is parking?

Parking at NRG Arena is free of charge.

 

How can I get there on the bus or train?

NRG Arena is located on the METRO Rail Red Line. For more detailed directions, please visit ridemetro.org to plan your trip.

 

Will food be provided or available to purchase?

There will be food available for purchase at NRG Arena. Lunch is served from 11:00 AM until 2:00 PM.

 

Can I bring my own food/drink?

You may bring food but do not bring anything that needs to be refrigerated.

Downtown Courthouses

Where can I park?

The parking garage located at 1401 Congress is the only parking garage that will give you the discounted parking rate of $6 per day. Other private parking lots may be found around the vicinity of the courthouse with a variety of pricing.

 

Do I have to wear a face covering?

Yes, face coverings are required in every public area inside the courthouse.

 

Is social distancing required in the courthouse?

Yes, everyone is required to socially distance themselves while in the courthouse, including, but not limited to, when waiting in lines.

 

Is the COVID-19 Screening the same as in NRG Arena?

Yes, everyone is required to answer COVID-19 screening once they enter the courthouse.

 

Can I use the elevators in the courthouse?

Yes, the elevators are fully operational, but limited to no more than 4 people with face coverings may ride the elevator at the same time.

 

Where do I report once I get past the security screening?

Your judge or bailiff will give you specific instructions on where to report the day you arrive at the Downtown Courthouses.

 

Will I be required to keep my face covering on when inside the courtroom?

Yes.

 

Will the jury have to sit in the jury box?

Jurors will be seated in a manner that is consistent with the social distancing requirements of 6 feet apart from other individuals.

 

Will my jury deliberate in the jury room?

The jury will deliberate in a space large enough to maintain social distancing.

 

What do I do if I am not feeling well on the day I am supposed to serve as a juror?

If you believe you have COVID-19 or are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, contact the bailiff or district clerk of the court you have been assigned to for further instructions.