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Has anyone served on a municipal jury, specifically City of Arlington? I have been called to Tarrant Co before, but never for a city. What types of cases am I in for, and is it an all day thing where you listen to several cases, or are there actually cases tried at the city level that can last all day? For the life of me, I can't remember what gets tried at the city level.

Thanks in advance.

Source: http://www.courts.state.tx.us/courts/mn.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Under its authority to create such other courts as may be necessary, the Texas Legislature has created municipal courts in each of the incorporated cities of the State. Municipal courts operate in approximately 908 cities and towns. The larger cities are served by multiple courts, the number depending upon the population of the city and the needs of the public.

These courts have original and exclusive jurisdiction over violations of city ordinances and, within the city limits, have concurrent jurisdiction with justice of the peace courts over Class C misdemeanor criminal cases where the punishment upon conviction is by small fine only. When city ordinances relating to fire safety, zoning, public health, or sanitation are violated, fines of up to $2,000 may be charged, when authorized by the governing body of the city. Municipal judges may issue search or arrest warrants. These courts do not have jurisdiction in most civil cases but do have limited civil jurisdiction in cases which involve owners of dangerous dogs.

I served on a municipal jury a while back. It may be different for you in Arlington but here's how it worked for me. Jury duty was all day. The judge formed juries as needed from the pool and you went back in the pool after. It was all misdemeanors and penalties were fines. The judge said the only way he could lock people up was for failure to appear.

Bring a book.

Many thanks to Jbirds and Boomerang. I figured it would be a bunch of Class C type offenses, and was hoping it would not be an all day experience. Arlington doesn't have a whole lot of court rooms and appears to have a lot of cases, so I have a feeling it is going to be just like boomerang said.

I guess it's off to the library this weekend.

MustangGlocker wrote:Has anyone served on a municipal jury, specifically City of Arlington? I have been called to Tarrant Co before, but never for a city. What types of cases am I in for, and is it an all day thing where you listen to several cases, or are there actually cases tried at the city level that can last all day? For the life of me, I can't remember what gets tried at the city level.

Thanks in advance.

Yes I have, in Arlington, and Tarrant Co. And I'm about to go again June 11 at 7:30am(yawn)
It's mainly traffic court, from what I've experienced.
My first time, I got there at appointed time, waited, and waited and waited. They picked jurors. I wasn't picked, and they let me go around noon. I think you can only serve on one jury.

I've learned to take the newspaper and a book with me.

joe817 wrote:I wasn't picked, and they let me go around noon. I think you can only serve on one jury. I've learned to take the newspaper and a book with me.

You can serve on only one jury at a time.

If you serve on a jury, most counties won't call you back for a least a year, but you can serve on as many juries as you like. The judge told us that even if you can claim an exemption because you recently served doesn't mean that you have to.

I got summoned last month, but didn't get picked. I have never got to the point of even being questioned.
A book is an excellent idea.

Hey Joe, you having to do Arlington court on June 11? That's the one I got picked for.

MustangGlocker wrote:Hey Joe, you having to do Arlington court on June 11? That's the one I got picked for.

Oh wow! What a coincidence. Hope to get a FTF meeting with ya, and we can talk guns.