SAN ANTONIO – One local criminal district court judge is hoping to get cases in her court moving along by proposing the option of a hybrid trial.
Judge Velia Meza of the 226th District Court is hoping to soon get clearance to put in place a hybrid trial process. The jury selection process would be virtual, conducted over Zoom, while the trial would take place in-person.
“I’m providing an avenue whereby we can still keep going and we can use it even when we reopen,” Meza said.
Civil trials have been allowed to be held virtually during the pandemic but not criminal trials. Recently, the Texas Supreme Court changed that, with certain stipulations. Those conditions include both the defense and the prosecution agreeing to a hybrid trial and local authorities would have to allow it during a time surging COVID-19 infections.
The pause in criminal trials have led to a backlog of roughly 30,000 cases.
Meza said not all cases would be considered. Hybrid trials would only be used for lower-level felonies, not murders or other serious crimes involving victims.
Meza’s primary opponent, attorney Demetrio Duarte, opposed the proposal. From a criminal defense lawyer’s standpoint, this isn’t an option he would recommend to any of his clients, he said.
“I want a full jury trial face to face where I can see that everybody is paying attention, that I get their body language, that I can hear what they’re saying,” Duarte said. “And no, I’m not going to go and agree to a hybrid jury trial.”
If Meza does get the clearance for a hybrid trial, it can begin in about two weeks.