According to Judge Ron Rangel, there is no more space at the justice center to accommodate the need for more judges.

A judge has decided the fate for a man on who was involved in a road rage shooting in 2022.

A 21-year-old man convicted of fatally shooting a teenage girl at an apartment party in 2022 was sentenced to 70 years in prison on Monday.

The case of three former San Antonio police officers charged in connection with the fatal shooting of a woman inside her apartment last summer has been moved to Judge Ron Rangel’s 379th Criminal District Court.

A man was sentenced Monday to eight years in prison for animal abuse.

Odyssey, launched on Sunday, has a rough start as some cases show up with incorrect information.

Judge Ron Rangel is surprised and concerned by remarks made about judges.

KSAT 12 has gotten the first look at some recommendations to improve public safety from Bexar County and San Antonio’s top police and court officials.

According to a statement from the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, the courtroom brawl happened as family members of shooting victim Ethan Soto attended a hearing for Victor Nathaneal Rivas, who is charged in Soto’s death.

Recent tensions between the San Antonio Police Department and the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office sparked by the shooting of six SAPD officers within a two-week span while in pursuit of suspects triggered this KSAT Explains.

In early September, Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai said he would get to the bottom of the problems between the Bexar County DA and San Antonio Police Department. Nearly two weeks later, internal talks reveal there maybe a communication problem.

The trial for the singer of the Tejano band La Tropa F will begin this week.

As closing arguments were to begin Monday in the trial of a man accused of his estranged wife’s murder, 379th District Court Judge Ron Rangel declared a mistrial.

Guadalupe Contreras faces up to life in prison if found guilty.

A statewide problem is also causing issues in Bexar County for jail inmates found incompetent to stand trial.

In-person jury pools will resume in Bexar County in March, nearly three years after they were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

High-profile trials scheduled for 2023 are faced with uncertainty as the district attorney’s office has recently lost many attorneys.

Bexar County Criminal District Court judges have appointed attorney Miguel Najera to fill a newly created associate judge position, according to county officials.

More than three years after a 72-year-old man was fatally shot his stepson will be going to trial.

Juan David Ortiz is charged with capital murder of multiple persons.

A recent initiative by Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales to curb gun violence is not one that judges can easily rule on.

Bexar County Criminal District Courts are working to tackle mental health by asking the state for more funding.

A San Antonio man was sentenced to 40 years in prison on Tuesday for the brutal attack of his former girlfriend with a metal baseball bat in 2019, according to the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office.

The courthouse is bustling again with in-person jury trials back in session but its leading to frustration for some as parking is now limited.

Since reopening to in-person jury trials, some backlogged cases have started to clear out.

Jury summons still being sent out despite in-person trials on hold

In-person jury trials scheduled in the first two weeks of January will be postponed due to the surge of coronavirus infections in Bexar County.

In the last newsletter for 2021, see the top 10 court moments of the year

It’s life in prison for Miguel Gutierrez who was found guilty last month of the 2017 death of 11-month-old boy Xzavier Cortez

A 53-year-old man pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in the 379th District Court on Thursday and waived his right to a trial.

For the first time in two years, the courts will be fully open in 2022.

Judge Ron Rangel said because the county has entered the low transmission phase of COVID-19 protocols, jury trials will be allowed to increase.

In-person jury trials will start back up in Bexar County on Oct. 4.

The Bexar County court system is bracing for a new bail reform law that goes into effect Dec. 2.

While there is no way of telling when jury trials will begin again, Administrative Judge Ron Rangel is hoping to lift the current moratorium this fall.

With a widely watched capital trial complete, there is another delay for in-person jury trials in Bexar County.

Officials hope the new program will improve legal services for defendants who are indigent, meaning they don’t have enough money to pay for a lawyer.

After GA-13 was ruled unconstitutional on Monday, the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office said that as many as 300 prisoners now qualify to be released.

Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order that heavily limited jail releases was ruled “wholly unconstitutional” by 379th District Court Judge Ron Rangel on Monday.

Jurors in the Otis McKane capital murder trial are expected to begin deliberating his fate Friday.

As COVID-19 infections surge in Bexar County, the judge who oversees how the courthouse runs has suspended jury services.

With the Delta variant causing a surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations locally, the Bexar County Courthouse complex is upping its efforts to mitigate the virus’s spread.

A man recalled to a jury the moments he heard gunshots and finding San Antonio Police Detective Benjamin Marconi slain in his patrol car.

A Bexar County judge set bond at $1 for Janie Villeda and other inmates who are awaiting release from the Bexar County Jail.

Bobby Martinez is given a guilty verdict in court Friday after jury deliberated for about 4 hours.

Open Court newsletter gives you the best access to the biggest cases happening in San Antonio and beyond.

New protocols are allowing for more trials to take place and more cases being settled.

While masks are still encouraged, restrictions for those fully vaccinated have eased at the Cadena Reeves Justice Center.

After a 13-month delay, in-person jury trials will begin Tuesday in Bexar County.

In-person jury trials will resume next month in Bexar County, ending a 15-month moratorium on jury service.

A schedule for returning to jury trials, both in-person proceedings and virtual, has been presented to all 44 Bexar County judges.

Bexar County officials began mailing jury summonses to area residents one week ago -- the first time they’ve been sent since a moratorium on jury service was ordered in March 2020 amid coronavirus concerns.

For the first time since mid-March 2020, jury duty summons in Bexar County will begin showing up in mailboxes next month followed by jury trials June 1.

Otis McKane set to stand trial in death penalty case on July 12.

Bexar County District Court Judge Ron Rangel has recused himself from the upcoming felony perjury trials of former Precinct 2 Constable Michelle Barrientes Vela and her one-time captain, Marc D. Garcia, the KSAT 12 Defenders confirmed Wednesday.

A non-jury bench trial in Judge Angelica Jimenez’ 408th District Court was the only in-person court proceeding held in the Bexar County Courthouse complex on Tuesday.

Under a plan submitted to Bexar County Commissioners by Local Administrative Judge Ron Rangel, all county courts will be allowed to conduct in-person hearings beginning on Monday.

When Bexar County District Courts reopen for trials there are five high-profile cases that might be in the docket for 2021. SAN ANTONIO – As Texas has “opened 100%”, the Bexar County courts remain closed to in-person and jury trials. These trials will take place in the 227th District Court by Judge Kevin O’Connell. AdWhen this retrial takes place it will be in the 144th District Court with Judge Michael Mery. When this trial is set it will take place in the 399th District Court with Judge Frank Castro presiding.

SAN ANTONIO – Jury selection will resume Monday in the capital murder trial of a man accused in the execution-style slaying of a San Antonio Police Department detective in 2016. It has been four and a half year years since veteran San Antonio Police Department Detective Benjamin Marconi was shot in the head at point blank range as he sat in his patrol car outside police headquarters. Jury selection in the capital murder trial of 35-year-old Otis McKane, Marconi’s accused killer, began last fall. AdStill, Rangel, who will preside over the trial, said he isn’t considering a change of venue. The Backstory: Otis McKane on trial for execution-style killing of SAPD Detective Benjamin Marconi

”We don’t want jury service to be a death sentence for any jurors or any participants in the court process,” Rangel said. The latest Texas Supreme Court order issued Friday gives individual authority to local administrative judges. AdThe Texas Supreme Court emergency order expires June 1. “Maybe if it’s not extended, those minimum safety protocols would not be required to enter into the courthouse,” Rangel said. But he said that for now the protocols will remain in place in all Bexar County courtrooms.

SAN ANTONIO – The circumstances under which the two latest grand juries served were anything but ideal, with the pandemic ongoing and the recent winter storms in the Bexar County area. The 12-member panels met alternately twice weekly in the cavernous central jury room in the Cadena-Reeves Justice Center basement, which made maintaining social distancing ideal. The juries reviewed a combined total of about 1,600 cases, down considerably from a usual average of 2,000 cases per grand jury, according to Rangel. AdHe said maintaining the secrecy that by law must surround grand juries was a challenge due to the sheer size of the central jury room, which can accommodate more than 600 people. “We had extra security outside the central jury room so that nobody would go into the room that is normally open to the public,” Rangel said.

Water also seeped through walls down to three courtrooms on the fourth floor, 187th District Court Judge Stephanie Boyd said. ”We had some major damage in our court coordinator’s office,” Boyd said. ”We’re trying to keep the courthouse safe from folks coming in and getting sick as a result of the pandemic,” Rangel said. Rangel said that will likely continue in spite of any water damage. Related: Water pipe bust floods Bexar County DA’s office, damages files

SAN ANTONIO – Former Bexar County Precinct 2 Constable Michelle Barrientes Vela will first go to trial on an aggravated perjury charge after a state district judge this week granted a motion to sever the offenses against her. The motion, granted by Judge Ron Rangel, will also apply to Barrientes Vela’s co-defendant, former Precinct 2 Capt. Barrientes Vela faces one felony count of aggravated perjury, two felony counts of tampering with evidence and three misdemeanor counts of official oppression, related to her nearly three-year tenure as constable. Former Bexar County Precinct 2 Captain Marc Garcia. A spokeswoman for Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales declined to comment.

”We’re going to make sure that the jail is not the reason for that backlog”, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said Thursday. He said he is making additional space available in order so that more virtual hearings can be conducted at the jail. ”The reality of it is virtual hearings take up a lot more time,” Rangel said as he welcomed the sheriff’s help. Ad“We’re doing everything we can behind the scenes to keep the process moving,” Salazar said. “We know that jury trials are going to be put off for the foreseeable future.”RELATED: District judge says she is ‘fearful’ of COVID-19 risks related to recent courtroom clerk transfers

SAN ANTONIO – The limitation of having only remote hearings in Bexar County District and County Court at Law courtrooms due to the pandemic has resulted in what Local Administrative Judge Ron Rangel said is “an alarming backlog in the justice system.”There are currently 9,586 pending indicted felony cases compared to 5,758 in March of 2020, which amounts to a 66% increase, Rangel said. Pending indicted misdemeanor cases have also soared. There were 25,103 in March, and currently there are 32,073 pending cases, including fugitive cases. Asked whether the numbers will accelerate when in-person jury trials resume, Rangel said, “I want to make sure that before we delve into starting in person jury trials that the local health conditions indicate that we’re at a certain level that’s here to stay.”Rangel said once that level is reached, things will begin to move quickly. ”Not only will we have jury trials at a very fast clip, I think the individual parties are going to come to agreement fairly rapidly,” he said.

SAN ANTONIO – Despite a moratorium on jury service with no in-person jury trials being held, scam artists are trying to take advantage of the way the jury service system currently operates. Bexar County Administrative Judge Ron Rangel said jury summons are only being sent for grand jury service and for one virtual trial per week. So, if you get a call from someone claiming to be from Bexar County Jury Services who wants money, hang up the telephone. Scam artists are once again calling residents claiming they have missed jury duty and therefore have an outstanding warrant for their arrest, Rangel said. The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office issued a similar warning last week about a similar scam.

SAN ANTONIO – As the COVID-19 pandemic approaches one year, the resulting backlog of cases in the Bexar County Criminal Justice System continues to grow since an emergency order from the Texas Supreme Court prohibits in-person jury trials. One option available to both the state and the defense to resolve cases is a bench trial in which a judge serves as both the judge and jury. “I think most judges would prefer to have bench trials during this pandemic.”J. Charles Bunk, a seasoned criminal defense attorney who has also served as a prosecutor for over a dozen years, has been involved in bench trials on both the defense and prosecution. An agreement from the state and the defense is necessary for a bench trial to be conducted. RELATED: In-person jury trials in Bexar County delayed until at least April 1

SAN ANTONIO – Citing an emergency order from the Texas Supreme Court, Local Administrative Judge Ron Rangel has ordered that there will be no in-person civil or criminal jury trials in Bexar County until April 1 at the earliest. Rangel ordered a moratorium on jury trials due to concerns over the spread of the coronavirus in March when the COVID-19 pandemic started. With the moratorium in place, judges soon began to worry about case backlogs in their courts. Jury selection in his case was suspended in November due to Covid-19 health concerns. Rangel said, “Once we seat a jury I do not anticipate starting that jury trial until health conditions permit, and I don’t see that happening for awhile.”

SAN ANTONIO – Though the moratorium on jury service that was ordered last spring amid fears of spreading the coronavirus remains in place in Bexar County, it has been modified to allow for social distancing. On Monday, the first jury summonses for virtual civil jury trials were mailed to prospective jurors. Schulze, along with Local Administrative Judge Ron Rangel and the Bexar County IT Department, developed the new virtual jury system. Rangel says the system only applies to civil jury trials. The entire proceedings, from jury summons to jury selection and testimony, will be done remotely.

SAN ANTONIO – The jury selection process had qualified eight jurors in the capital murder trial of Otis McKane when it was temporarily suspended Friday by Bexar County District Judge Ron Rangel. The judge cited concerns over the growing number of positive COVID-19 cases in Bexar County as reason for halting the proceedings. “You could see that concern developing among the jury panel as we were bringing them in,” Fuchs said. The state is seeking the death penalty for McKane, 31, who is accused of fatally shooting veteran San Antonio Police Department Detective Ben Marconi. ”What he wants ultimately, in our case, is that the justice system and the jury decide our client’s fate.

SAN ANTONIO – With the COVID-19 positivity rate at 9.2% and climbing steadily, local administrative Judge Ron Rangel has been meeting with criminal and district court judges to discuss extending the moratorium on in-person jury trials. “I think, overall, the judges are confirmed, or have confirmed to me, that they do desire to focus on community safety.”Judges divided on extension of jury trial moratorium in Bexar CountyTo Rangel, that means extending the moratorium. “I do not anticipate in-person jury trials to be at the earliest until mid-February,” he said. “I don’t think that it is so significant at this point yet, that we should risk the health and safety of the community and all the participants by starting in-person jury trials,” Rangel said. Rangel said that community safety must always win when it is a balance between community safety and judicial economy.

SAN ANTONIO – The moratorium on jury trials ordered in March over concerns about the spreading of COVID-19 will end on Dec. 31. The decision on whether to extend the moratorium is up to Local Administrative Judge Ron Rangel. “We know that we are in a current surge of COVID cases.”Jury service resumption in Bexar County gets closer lookSeveral judges in the criminal, civil and misdemeanor courts at the Bexar County Courthouse are anxious to begin conducting in person jury trials. “I believe that we should consider resuming jury trials on a case-by-case basis,” County Court 11 Judge Tommy Stolhandske said. Stolhandske also noted that Harris and Kendall counties have already resumed in-person jury trials.

SAN ANTONIO – A 47-year-old man was sentenced to 25 years in prison Thursday after he pleaded no contest to sexually assaulting a 64-year-old woman as she was walking to work. The woman told investigators that the man choked her and sexually assaulted her, police said. Schexnayder pleaded no contest before 379th District Court Judge Ron Rangel. “I find that there is sufficient evidence to establish guilt and I accordingly find you guilty," Rangel told Schexnayder. Rangel sentenced Schexnayder to 25 years in prison in accordance with the plea agreement and told him he cannot appeal due to the plea deal.

SAN ANTONIO – Jury selection resumed today in the capital murder trial of Otis McKane, the man accused of shooting San Antonio Police Department Detective Ben Marconi at point-blank range. Jurors are being interviewed based on a questionnaire they completed in March before a moratorium on jury duty due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Backstory: Otis McKane on trial for execution-style killing of SAPD Detective Benjamin MarconiJudge Ron Rangel of the 379th District Court, who will be presiding over the trial, says each juror gets questioned extensively regarding any potential bias or prejudices they may have. Both sides have requested the opportunity to add additional questions to this questionnaire because of the social unrest that’s been going on in the community this year. Rangel says he will accommodate.

SAN ANTONIO – When jury selection resumes Monday in the capital murder trial of Otis McKane, individual jurors will be interviewed based on a questionnaire they completed in March prior to a moratorium on jury duty ordered due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “When you’re dealing with a death penalty case each individual juror gets questioned extensively regarding any potential bias or prejudices they may have,” said 379th District Judge Ron Rangel, who will be presiding over the trial. Jury selection will go slower than normal due to COVID-19 protocols, he said. “We’ve got to clean the entire courtroom between every juror, and that’s going to take time”, Rangel said. He predicted that jury selection will likely go well into January.

SAN ANTONIO – Many bars in Bexar County reopened Wednesday with strict limitations that include 50% capacity after being closed for months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While bars may start looking somewhat back to normal, that is not the case at the Bexar County Courthouse, where there have been no jury trials for the past eight months. The judge said if a juror is summoned to appear, he or she must show up, whereas bar patrons are in bars voluntarily. “When are we going to start caring about people’s liberties and people’s rights?” he asked while talking about people in jail awaiting trial. Kuntz said his frustration with the limitations dictated by the pandemic goes beyond attorneys and their clients.

SAN ANTONIO – Jurors will be given a questionnaire addressing social issues raised during police reform demonstrations in the trial of a man charged with killing a San Antonio police officer. Rangel said the questionnaire will address social issues raised during demonstrations this summer in San Antonio and across the country. McKane, who is Black, is accused of slaying San Antonio Police Department Detective Ben Marconi, who was white. Rangel said the questionnaire will also include questions about bias and prejudice. Both the prosecutors and defense attorneys agreed that the supplemental questionnaire was necessary.

SAN ANTONIO – Opposition to conduct virtual civil jury trials in Bexar County to address the backlog of court cases due to the COVID-19 pandemic is growing. Another attempt at conducting a virtual civil jury trial is scheduled for November 9th, Local Administrative Judge Ron Rangel said Wednesday. In September, a trial failed when all parties could not agree to the proceeding, as is mandated by a Texas Supreme Court order allowing virtual civil jury trials. The president of the local American Board of Trial Advocates says 90% of the group’s membership opposes virtual civil jury trials. “Most of our membership thinks that it would be very difficult to get a true measure of justice from a virtual jury panel.”

SAN ANTONIO – In view of recent reports that droplets of the coronavirus can travel through the air well beyond six feet, Local Administrative Judge Ron Rangel is re-examining the resumption of jury trials in Bexar County. “There’s more information that has come out to the CDC as it relates to air filtration and particles in the air,” Rangel said Wednesday. “We’ve got to do everything we can to make sure the air is flowing appropriately within the courthouse.”Rangel said that maintaining social distancing and wearing masks will continue to be courthouse protocol. “Everything we do is with caution,” Rangel said. Related Stories:

SAN ANTONIO – A specialty mental health court in Bexar County that handles only felony cases is getting a boost through a grant from University Health System, according to 379th District Court Judge Ron Rangel. The grant funds will be able to supply additional staff and resources, Rangel says. She also has mental health issues that qualified her to participate in the pilot program. Campos was granted a pre-trial diversion during the hearing, which was a first for the court. “Before (the participants) actually plea, they enter into a contract with the court, with myself and with the state, where they’re going to go through a very rigorous program,” Rangel said.

SAN ANTONIO – Jury selection in the capital murder trial of a 31-year-old man charged in the execution-style shooting death of a San Antonio police officer will resume Oct. 26, according to 379th District Court Judge Ron Rangel. In early March, prospective jurors had completed questionnaires in the trial of Otis McKane, but the pandemic set in and jury selection was halted. McKane is accused of shooting San Antonio Police Department Detective Ben Marconi as he sat in his patrol car outside Public Safety Headquarters on the morning of Nov. 21, 2016. Rangel explained that COVID-19 safety protocol will be in place during jury selection. “We’re to make sure that between every juror everything in the courtroom is cleaned in the courtroom,” he said.

SAN ANTONIO – In the Texas Supreme Court’s most recent order addressing jury trials during the pandemic, it said virtual civil court jury trials can be conducted starting Oct. 1. “Courts can compel attorneys for both sides, whether they agree or not, to have a virtual jury trial,” Local Administrative Judge Ron Rangel said, referring to the order Monday. He said that he questions virtual trials, period. In his order, which he is drafting this week, Rangel said he has moved the date for virtual jury trials in Bexar County to begin on Nov. 1. Rangel plans to present his local order to the judges, as well as Regional Administrative Judge Sid Harle by week’s end.

SAN ANTONIO – Elected officials in San Antonio praised the legacy of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died Friday at age 87. In a tweet, San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg hailed Ginsburg as a “trailblazer, trendsetter, titan.”“Thank you, Justice Ginsburg, for everything you did to advance equality and justice through the rule of law,” Nirenberg wrote. Thank you, Justice Ginsburg, for everything you did to advance equality and justice through the rule of law. Judge Ron Rangel, who oversees the 379th District Court, also commented on news of Ginsburg’s death. “We will never have another quite like Ruth Bader Ginsburg.”

SAN ANTONIO – A 69-page report evaluating Bexar County’s Indigent Defense System was released Wednesday. “These are courts that will address the problem that brought you into the criminal justice system,” Chief Public Defender Michael Young said. But Young said the report shows that not everyone is treated fairly. “This report shows us that we’re not doing a good enough job, that we’re treating people differently," Young said. “I think the takeaway is that we have done a great job in dealing with our Indigent Defense Plan," he said.

SAN ANTONIO A newly-established, seven-member committee made up of three district court judges and four criminal defense attorneys met for the first time on Wednesday. The committee is headed by District Judge Ron Rangel. Through the new committee, inmates are given a postcard with a phone number and instructions on how to reach the committee to discuss concerns about their court-appointed attorney. As soon as we get that contact, the attorney review committee sets it up, Rangel said. We want to make sure that our court-appointed attorneys have transparency that they feel confident that we are behind them.RELATED: Bexar County judge proposes new specialty court amid domestic violence case spike this year

BOERNE, Texas – Testimony continued Tuesday in an assault trial in District Judge Kirsten Cohoon’s 431st District Court in Kendall County. There have been no live jury trials in the area since the COVID-19 outbreak in March, fearing an outbreak of the virus. Rangel said conducting live jury trials in Bexar County will depend solely on COVID-19 statistics. Rangel said he has no plans to conduct a live jury trial in Bexar County until at least October. The next live jury trial in Kendall County is scheduled for Oct. 5.

SAN ANTONIO The number of criminal felony cases backlogged in Bexar County has swelled to 8,975 this week, according to Local Administrative Judge Ron Rangel. When a moratorium on jury service was ordered on March 13, jury trials in all 10 Bexar County criminal district courts were halted. One of the most significant considerations, obviously, would be the COVID pandemic.The Civil Court system is preparing to conduct a virtual jury trial next week. His priority, however, is to get in-person jury trials started. When we get started, probably post-pandemic, with jury trials, were gonna be trying cases at a very fast clip, he said.

SAN ANTONIO There is one basic element that applies to all judicial proceedings, local Administrative Judge Ron Rangel said Tuesday. There is a constitutional requirement that all judicial proceedings must be open to the public, " he said. That means extra caution during Zoom proceedings. Bexar County court hearing streamed on Zoom hacked with pornLast week, a Zoom hearing among seven civil district court judges was hacked, and profanity and obscene pictures were introduced into the hearing in what Rangel labeled Zoom bombing.The presiding judge immediately shut down the hacker electronically, and access credentials were quickly changed. Rangel said all judges must remain aware of the protocol.

SAN ANTONIO Jury service in Bexar County which was suspended in mid-March over coronavirus fears will not resume until at least Sept. 30, according to an order issued this week by Local Administrative Judge Ron Rangel. Rangel said the order does not apply to grand jury service or to jury summons sent to prospective jurors last month as part of a pilot project. Its specifically for one case where the participants have agreed to actually have a virtual jury trial, Rangel said. Grand jury turnout surprises administrative judge amid coronavirus fearsRangel said recent local COVID-19 statistics prompted him to replace the existing order that will expire at the end of August. And if that time needs to wait, then Im prepared to do that.Rangel said his priority remains public safety.

SAN ANTONIO After previously expressing concern on the growing population at the Bexar County Jail, county officials sent a letter to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday asking him to reverse an executive order that limits judges abilities to release inmates on personal bonds. The order suspended bail laws and bans judges from issuing personal recognizance bonds for people charged with or previously convicted of violent crimes. Abbott has previously said his order was done in the interest of safety and keeping violent criminals in jail amid the pandemic. The order has been challenged in courts by attorneys of inmates and Harris County judges, who allege the order creates an unconstitutional system that discriminates against poor people accused of crimes.

SAN ANTONIO Almost 24 responses to 200 juror summons sent last week have already been received, according to local administrative Judge Ron Rangel. The summons were for a proposed virtual jury trial in civil court next month during which all parties, from the judge, jurors and the defendant, will participate remotely. He was less than optimistic, however, when asked about the possibility of virtual trials in criminal district courts. Once we see how this goes, well look to see how far we can take it, Rangel said. We would love it to be possible to do it in a criminal jury trial.

SAN ANTONIO In a unanimous vote Thursday, Bexar County Commissioners agreed to pay $11,969 to the members of two grand juries that amounts to an additional $65 dollars per week for each juror. Though some have called it hazard pay, commissioners have now labeled it as supplemental pay.' The juries, who had been serving when the pandemic hit and a moratorium was ordered on jury service in mid-March, agreed to serve an additional two-month term. I think it was justified in the sense that these people went above and beyond, Precinct 2 Commissioner Justin Rodriguez said as he discussed the supplemental pay. RELATED: Bexar County courtrooms soon to have new look

SAN ANTONIO When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in mid-March, two separate grand juries were wrapping up their two-month terms. We didnt know where we were headed, Local Administrative Judge Ron Rangel said Monday. For that service, he said, he plans to ask county commissioners that the jurors be paid more than the $40 dollars a day they are typically paid. What the judges would like to do is pay them for an additional day per week for the time that they were here extra, Rangel said. The time that they went above and beyond what they initially signed on for.He estimated the cost to the county for what he called hazard pay would be $14,720 dollars.

SAN ANTONIO The turnout of people summoned for grand jury service on Tuesday surprised Local Administrative Judge Ron Rangel. Jury service was suspended on March 12 due to concerns over the spread of the novel coronavirus. Typically, when a grand jury is seated the presiding judge selects 12 jurors and four alternates. I actually asked these jurors if you desire and want to be on this grand jury, please stand, Rangel said. Each jury will meet twice a week for the next two months.

SAN ANTONIO When replies to grand jury summons began to arrive last week, one thing became apparent to county officials. A total of 480 summons were mailed to seek jurors for grand jury duty. That is a smaller number than is usually sent out for jurors to serve for trial jury duty. FIRST REPORTED: Jury summons are on the way for some in Bexar CountyRangel said COVID-19 fears were not the only related issues raised in the responses. On Tuesday, Rangel will interview about 40 prospective jurors in the central jury room, marking the first time there have been potential jurors there since the moratorium on jury service was ordered in mid-March.

SAN ANTONIO When Jeremy Sanchez, 25, was sentenced to eight years in prison Friday, State District Judge Ron Rangel ventured into what is expected to eventually become normal legal territory. Due to the Covid-19 protocol in the Cadena-Reeves Justice Center, the sentencing hearing was whats being called a Hybrid procedure, conducted partially in court but with witnesses testifying remotely. The decision to proceed in that manner was made when the courtroom across the hall was closed due to coronavirus concerns. You always know to expect the unexpected in the middle of a trial or in the middle of a hearing, Rangel said as the hearing got underway. RELATED: Man accused of shooting 2 after being thrown out of popular Southtown bar is identified

SAN ANTONIO For the first time in three months, Bexar County is summoning residents for jury duty. They are for grand jury service, not the petit jury service most people typically receive. Were going to use a grand jury process as sort of a test run before we actually bring in any jurors for jury trials, Local Administrative Judge Ron Rangel said. Civil district courts in Bexar County prepare to reopen after months-long closureBexar County courtrooms soon to have new lookRangel said those type summons would not be sent out until September when jury trials are expected to resume. Of the 320 summons sent, Rangel said that he expects about 80 people will serve.