Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Please read the following important information regarding COVID-19 and jury service:
Court Staff who interact with jurors have been vaccinated to protect the health and safety of the jurors, parties and lawyers. Staff will be masked and will maintain social distancing.

Contact the Jury Office to arrange for a postponement if you:

• have tested positive for COVID-19 anytime within the past 10 days;
• have exhibited symptoms for COVID-19 within the past 10 days;
• are actively caring for a family member or loved one who has tested positive for the COVID-19 or is particularly vulnerable to severe consequences from COVID-19; or
• are now in self-quarantine status and that status will continue through your term of service.

Proper documentation may be required.

This is NOT a summons to report for jury service. The purpose is to determine if you are qualified to serve as a juror for the U.S. District Court. If qualified to serve, you may be randomly summoned to serve at a later date between between October 2017 and September 2021. To complete the Juror Qualification Questionnaire online, select the Qualification Questionnaire link, otherwise mail the completed form in the postage-paid envelope provided.

To complete the Juror Form, select the Juror Form link, otherwise mail the completed form in the postage-paid envelope provided.

Your summons gives you the date that you are to report for jury service.  Please read the "How long do I serve?" section that follows.

Jurors are "on-call" for a period of fifteen (15) consecutive days, beginning with the appearance date stated on your Jury Summons.  If you are selected to serve on a jury, your jury service will end when the trial is finished.  You may not have to come to court each day while on call, but you will be asked to check, either by phone or web, for future reporting instructions.

Although you are scheduled to report on the appearance date stated on the Jury Summons form, the Court's schedule may change, therefore causing your appearance date to change.  Specific reporting instructions will be provided to you throughout the month.  There are two (2) ways to receive reporting instructions.  Choose the way that works best for you.

• Call the Jury Information Line 1-800-582-9109, after 6:00 p.m. on the evening before your appearance date.  Enter your nine (9) digit Participant Number when prompted by the Call Attendant.

• Select the Reporting Instructions link at the top of this page and enter your nine (9) digit Participant Number.

                                         Your Participant Number is on your Jury Summons form.

Call the Jury Information Line 1-800-582-9109, or select the Reporting Instructions link at the top of this page after 6:00 p.m. on the evening before your appearance date.  Be sure to have your nine (9) digit Participant Number available.

You may ask to be exempted or excused from jury service or to have your jury service postponed.

There are 2 ways to request exemption, excuse or postponement of jury service.  Choose the way that works best for you.  In both instances, you must put your request in writing and include a daytime phone number where you can be reached if we need additional information from you.

• Select the Request Postponement or Excuse link above to complete the form online.

• Mail your letter to:  U.S. District Court 312 S. Main St., Room 406, Victoria, Texas 77901

Call the Jury Information Line 1-800-582-9109, or select the Reporting Instructions link at the top of this page to find out the status of your request.  You will need your nine (9) digit Participant Number in order to receive this information.

                                         Your Participant Number is on your Jury Summons form.

You must appear for jury service unless we tell you that the Court has granted your request.

Exemptions

The Court may exempt you from service if you are:

• A member in active service of the armed services of the United States.
• A member of a fire or police department.
• An elected official actively engaged in the performance of official duties.

Excuses

The Court may excuse you from jury service if you are a:

• Person not employed outside the home, having active care and custody of a child under the age of ten whose health or safety would be jeopardized by your absence for jury service; or a person who is essential to the care of the aged or infirm persons and who is not employed outside the home.
• Person who has served as a grand or petit juror in Federal Court within the past two years.
• Person over seventy years of age.
• Member of a federal law enforcement agency (such as an agent for Postal, FBI, Customs, etc.).
• Member of a volunteer safety organization and work in an official capacity without compensation (fire fighters, rescue squads or ambulance crews).
• Person for whom jury service would cause undue hardship or extreme inconvenience. (medical excuses require a precise doctor's statement)

Postponements

The Court may postpone your jury service.  A written request for postponement should explain specifically why the delay is unavoidable.

Report to the Jury Assembly Room, Room Number 217, on the 2nd floor of the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Building, 312 S. Main, Victoria, Texas. The U.S. Post Office, Downtown Branch, is located on the 1st floor of the building. There is no assigned parking lot for this building.  Parallel parking is available on Main St., South of Church Street and on adjacent side streets.

Counties in the Victoria Division:

Calhoun, DeWitt, Goliad, Jackson, Lavaca, Refugio, and Victoria

Yes. At the end of your jury service, you will need to submit a form called “Juror Attendance and Mileage Certificate”. You will receive this form when you report for orientation. Federal law authorizes the following payments:

• $50.00 for each day that you come to the courthouse for jury service.
• $0.655 cents for each mile driven via the shortest, most direct route to and from the courthouse.
• If you are selected to serve on a jury, a subsistence rate for lodging may be allowed if you live over fifty (50) miles from the courthouse and you stay overnight in a hotel in order to attend court.  You must attach the lodging receipt to the form.
• Other expenses including road tolls, parking and public transportation

A United States Treasury check will be mailed to you in about two weeks following completion of your jury service. The payment process will begin upon submission of your Juror Attendance and Mileage Certificate. This form will be provided to you at orientation.

Yes.  If you report for jury service and participate in the jury selection process known as voir dire and/or are selected to serve as a juror on a case, you will receive a Certificate of Attendance at the conclusion of your service.  You may select the Certificate of Attendance link above to print additional copies.