Jury Service

Qualifications

To serve as a juror, the following qualifications must be met:

At least 18 years of age.
A citizen of the United States;
A resident of this state and of the county in which I am to serve as a juror;
Qualified to serve under the Constitution and laws to vote in this county. (Note: You do not have to be registered to vote to be qualified to vote)
Of sound mind and good moral character.
Able to read and write.
Have not served as a juror for six days during the preceding three months in the county court or during the preceding six months in the district court
Have not been convicted of theft or any felony.
Not under indictment or other legal accusation of a misdemeanor theft, felony theft or any other felony charge.
A resident of the City of Sugar Land for which the court is established.

COVID-19

Review the Sugar Land Municipal Court's Minimum Standard Health Protocols that have been implemented to keep all court participants safe.

COVID-19 Precautions: Staff will be cleaning between each proceeding and docket sizes will be limited in order to ensure jurors remain safe and healthy. Social distancing will be encouraged during the proceedings. Jurors will have assigned seating and will have at least six feet of social distancing for the duration of their service. Masks are strongly encouraged for the protection of vulnerable persons. We will continue to work with our partners to ensure the safest possible environment as citizens perform their civic duty.

NOTICE: If you are experiencing any COVID- symptoms including fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, loss of taste or smell, diarrhea, or if you believe you may have been exposed, you are strongly encouraged to contact us at jury@sugarlandtx.gov to be rescheduled.

What to expect on the day of Service

Proper attire and shoes are required. Shorts, tank tops, muscle shirts, message shirts, flip flops, and hats will not be allowed in the Courtroom.
Purses and/or backpacks will not be allowed in the courtroom. Sugar Land Municipal court does not have lockers or holding areas for your belongings.
Read and answer all the questions on the questionnaire. You are to either submit the electronic questionnaire before the date of service or bring the completed questionnaire with you to your day of service (The Jury Questionnaire is mandated by the Government Code, Section 62.0132). Your answers are confidential and may be disclosed only to the Judge, court personnel, the litigant, and the litigants’ attorney.
When you arrive, head to the Juror Check-in Window and hand the clerk your completed summons. They will provide further instructions upon your check-in.
All cases will be concluded on the date of service. You will not be required to appear on the following day, but you may be asked to stay late. Please make arrangements to stay.

Exemptions and Disqualification

If you wish to claim an exemption or disqualification, you must do so as soon as possible, but at least one week prior to the date of your jury duty. There are several ways to do this, you can:

Complete the online Jury Service Response Form.
Log into the Jury Portal.
Complete the paper form and send it back to the court via:
- mail at P.O. Box 110 Sugar Land, Texas 77487
- in-person or drop-box at 1200 Hwy 6 S. Sugar Land, Texas 77478

Please allow 5-7 business days for processing.

Postponement/Excusals

If you have a conflict with your date of service, you may request an Excusal or Postponement. There are several ways to do this, you can:

Log in to the Jury Portal to reschedule at your convenience.
Fill out the Postponement/Excusal Request Form . (When filling out this form, please make sure to include a time frame for rescheduling, otherwise, we will reschedule you to the next available date.)

Please allow 5-7 business days for processing.

Permanent Exemptions

If you have a permanent exemption from a higher court, you may submit it to us. We will honor that permanent exemption.

To obtain a permanent exemption for our court, please fill out the Permanent Exemption Request form and follow the instructions on the form for submittal.

Not a Resident of Sugar Land?

Jurors’ names are selected from current voter registration lists. If you were summoned and you no longer reside in Sugar Land, contact the voter registration office to have your name removed from their list. Visit Fort Bend Voter Registration Services for more information.

Failure to Appear

If you missed your Jury Service Date, please log in to the Jury Portal to reschedule at your convenience or call us at 281-275-2560.

Juror Rights and Responsibilities

Rights to Reemployment – A private employer may not terminate the employment of a permanent employee because the employee serves as a juror. An employee whose employment is terminated in violation of this section is entitled to return to the same employment that the employee held when summoned for jury service if the employee, as soon as practical after release from jury service, gives the employer actual notice that the employee intends to return. (Civil Practice and Remedies Code, Section 122.001). Terminating an employee who performs jury duty is punishable by up to 180 days in jail and/or a fine not to exceed $2000 (Civil Practice and Remedies Code, Section 122.002).

Failure to Answer Summons and Provisions of False Information – Any person summoned who fails to attend or who fails to remain in attendance until discharged by the Court may be fined an amount not to exceed $100 for contempt (Code of Criminal Procedure, Article 45.027). Additionally, a person shall be fined not less than $100 and not more than $500 if the person: (1) fails to attend court in obediance to the notice without reasonable excuse or (2) files a false claim of exemption from jury service (Government Code, Section 62.111). Furthermore, if a person knowingly provides false information in a request for an exemption to be excused from jury service, the person is subject to a contempt action punishable by a fine not less than $100 and not more than $1,000 (Government Code, Section 62.0141).

Jury Service

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE