Jury Service

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How did I get summoned for jury service in Chandler Municipal Court? 
Any person holding a valid Texas Driver’s License is subject to being called for jury service.

Where should I appear? 
You should appear at Chandler Municipal Court(City Hall), located at 811 Hwy 31 E in Chandler.  If you cannot determine where to appear, please call the court at (903)849-6853.

How long will my jury service last? 
Jury service typically lasts only one day.

Since I’ve been summoned, will I definitely serve on a jury? 
No. The process of jury selection involves both the state and defendant asking you questions concerning your qualifications, background and experiences.  Each side then gets to strike up to three potential jurors for any reason other than race or gender.  

What kind of cases are tried in the Municipal Court? 
The Municipal Court jurisdiction applies to cases that can only be punished by a “fine only”.  This means that punishment through jail time is not an option.  Consequently, this applies to Class “C” misdemeanor offenses such as public intoxication and shoplifting.  It also applies to traffic offenses(such as speeding, seatbelt and no insurance citations0, and enforcement of city ordinances such as noise violations and leash law tickets.  All offenses must have occurred within the city limits of the City of Chandler.

Do I get paid for my jury service? 
Yes.  The Municipal Court pays $6.00 per day for jury service.  You must, however, be chosen for a voir dire panel.  If you claim an exemption or are disqualified, you will not be paid.

What are the qualifications to serve on a Municipal Court jury?

  • Be of sound mind and good moral character
  • Be able to read and write the English language
  • Not have any felony convictions or a conviction for any theft
  • Not be under indictment or legal accusation for any theft or felony charges
  • Not be on probation of deferred adjudication for any theft or felony charges
  • Not have served as a juror for six days during the preceding three months
  • Be a resident of the City of Chandler and reside within the Chandler city limits.
  • Be at least 18 years of age
 What are the exemptions from jury service?
 You may be excused from jury service if you: 
  • Are 70 years of age or older
  • Have legal custody of a child/children younger than 15 and service on the jury would require leaving the child or children without supervision
  • You are a student at a public or private high school
  • You are 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 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 you county of residence.

What about “business excuses”?
Missing jury service for a business reason is not a lawful excuse from jury service.

What about “travel/vacation excuses? 
These excused may be granted or denied at the discretion of the court.  To request a travel/vacation excuse, you must provide airline or other method of travel tickets in your name, hotel reservation confirmation information; seminar confirmation information and/or an itinerary for your travel.  To make a request to be excused for this reason, please present request and pertinent information either in person or by mail to Chandler Municipal Court.  You may also fax this information to the court.

How can I prove my “disqualification”, “exemption” or off any other excuse to the court prior to my jury service date? 
To make a request to be excused from jury service, please complete the appropriate page included with your jury service notification and either bring it in person, mail or fax it to the court.

How do I know if my jury trial service has been cancelled? 
Call Chandler Municipal Court at (903)849-6853 the day before to see if it has been cancelled.

What if I decide to ignore my jury summons? 
You will have to appear in court to answer to a Contempt of Court citation which carries a fine up to $100.00.