Jurors needed to help with backlog of cases in the Valley
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Jury duty may not be on the top of your to-do list, but if you don't show up, cases can start to pile up fast.
Ricardo Contreras, Chief of Administration for the Hidalgo County District Clerk's Office, says since the pandemic, there is a need for jurors to respond to their summons, so they can process cases in a timely manner.
Contreras says they see less people showing up in the summertime when people are busier with childcare and vacations. He wants people to understand that jurors play a vital role in the American justice system.
"It could be your family, it could be my case, it could be any one of ours. So, we do what we can to bring in as many people as we can, and we hope that they will respond and fulfill their service to the judicial system," Contreras said.
Each week, 400 to 500 people are receiving summons to report to jury duty in Hidalgo County.
Contreras says, people who are 18 and over, have a valid driver license and are registered to vote qualify for jury duty and says jurors are summoned randomly by an electronic system.
The district clerk's office say they have a good amount of people showing up for jury duty each week, but want to continue to remind us that it's important to attend to get cases moving.
Contreras says, if you can't attend the day you are summoned, you can request a deferral for jury duty, and then you can choose a day that works for you to fulfil your civic duty.
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