SAN ANTONIO – Bexar County courts will see an increase in jury trials this month and could resume normal operations in January, according to the local administrative judge.
Judge Ron Rangel sent a letter to the San Antonio Bar Association informing them of changing status at the Bexar County Courthouse.
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Rangel said because the county has entered the low transmission phase of COVID-19 protocols, jury trials will be allowed to increase.
He authorized the following number of jury panels for each type of court:
Civil District Courts
- Two (2) jury panels available per day, Monday through Friday.
- Voir dire can be conducted in either the Presiding Courtroom or in individual courtrooms.
Criminal District Courts
- Two (2) jury panels available per day, Monday through Friday in accordance with the current jury schedule. Each court gets a jury panel weekly.
- Voir dire can be conducted in either the Central Jury Room or in individual courtrooms.
Juvenile District Courts
- Voir dire can be conducted in either the Central Jury Room or in individual courtrooms on an as needed basis. County Courts-at-Law and Probate Courts • Five (5) jury panels available per day, Monday through Friday in accordance with the current jury schedule.
- Voir dire will be conducted in individual courtrooms. Each judge has the right to maintain safety standards within the individual courtrooms as per the referenced protocols.
In-person jury trials were halted at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020. They resumed for two months this summer before shutting down again due to a spike in cases. The courts have been open to a limited number of jury trials since Oct. 4.
Rangel said he believes that jury trials will be fully open for all courts immediately after the new year.