GOVERNMENT CODE

TITLE 2. JUDICIAL BRANCH

SUBTITLE E. JURIES

CHAPTER 61. GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 61.001.  REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES OF JURORS AND PROSPECTIVE JURORS.  (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (c), a person who reports for jury service in response to the process of a court is entitled to receive as reimbursement for travel and other expenses an amount:
(1)  not less than $20 for the first day or fraction of the first day the person is in attendance in court in response to the process and discharges the person's duty for that day; and
(2)  not less than $58 for each day or fraction of each day the person is in attendance in court in response to the process after the first day and discharges the person's duty for that day.
(b)  In preparing and approving the annual budget for a county, the commissioners court of the county shall determine the daily amount of reimbursement for expenses for a person who reports for jury service and discharges the person's duty.  The amount of reimbursement for each day must be within the minimum and maximum amounts prescribed by this section and paid out of the jury fund of the county.  The commissioners court may set different daily amounts of reimbursement for:
(1)  grand and petit jurors; or
(2)  different petit jurors based on:
(A)  whether a juror serves in a small claims court, justice court, constitutional county court, county court at law, or district court; or
(B)  any other reasonable criteria determined by the commissioners court.
(c)  A person who reports for jury service in a municipal court is not entitled to reimbursement under this chapter, but the municipality may provide reimbursement for expenses to the person in an amount to be determined by the municipality.
(d)  In a specific case, the presiding judge, with the agreement of the parties involved or their attorneys, may increase the daily amount of reimbursement for a person who reports for jury service in that case.  The difference between the usual daily amount of reimbursement and the daily amount of reimbursement for a person who reports for jury service in a specific case shall be paid, in equal amounts, by the parties involved in the case.
(e)  A check drawn on the jury fund by the district clerk of the county may be transferred by endorsement and delivery and is receivable at par from the holder for all county taxes.
(f)  A reimbursement for expenses under this section is not a property right of a person who reports for jury service for purposes of Chapters 72 and 74, Property Code.  If a check, instrument, or other method of payment authorized under Section 113.048, Local Government Code, representing a reimbursement under this section is not presented for payment or redeemed before the 90th day after it is issued:
(1)  the instrument or other method of payment is considered forfeited and is void; and
(2)  the money represented by the instrument or other method of payment may be placed or retained in the county's jury fund, the county's general fund, or any other fund in which county funds can be legally placed, at the discretion of the commissioners court.
Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 480, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1985.  Amended by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 148, Sec. 2.79(a), eff. Sept. 1, 1987;  Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 64, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 30, 1993;  Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 758, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997;  Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1119, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999;  Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1136, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
Amended by: 
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 1360 (S.B. 1704), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2006.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1378 (S.B. 560), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2007.
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 734 (S.B. 397), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2009.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 4 (S.B. 1), Sec. 40.01, eff. September 28, 2011.
Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 861 (H.B. 3474), Sec. 8.001, eff. September 1, 2023.

Sec. 61.0011.  DEFINITION OF PERSON WHO REPORTS FOR JURY SERVICE.  In this chapter, the term "person who reports for jury service" means a person who reports in person for duty on a grand jury or a petit jury, regardless of whether the person is selected to serve on the jury.
Added by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1378 (S.B. 560), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2007.

Sec. 61.0015.  REIMBURSEMENT TO COUNTY.  (a)  The state shall reimburse a county:
(1)  $14 a day for the reimbursement paid under Section 61.001(a)(1) to a person who reports for jury service in response to the process of a court for the first day or fraction of the first day in attendance in court in response to the process; and
(2)  $52 a day for the reimbursement paid under Section 61.001(a)(2) to a person who reports for jury service in response to the process of a court for each day or fraction of each day after the first day in attendance in court in response to the process.
(b)  The commissioners court of a county entitled to reimbursement under this section may file a claim for reimbursement with the comptroller.
(c)  The comptroller shall pay claims for reimbursement under this section quarterly to the county treasury of each county that filed a claim from money collected under Subchapter B, Chapter 133, Local Government Code, and deposited in the jury service fund.
(d)  If sufficient money described by Subsection (c) is not available to satisfy the claims for reimbursement filed by the counties under this section, the comptroller shall apportion the available money among the counties by reducing the amount payable to each county on an equal percentage basis.
(e)  If a payment on a county's claim for reimbursement is reduced under Subsection (d), or if a county fails to file the claim for reimbursement in a timely manner, the comptroller shall:
(1)  pay the balance owed to the county when sufficient money described by Subsection (c) is available; or
(2)  carry forward the balance owed to the county and pay the balance to the county when the next payment is required.
Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 1360 (S.B. 1704), Sec. 2, eff. January 1, 2006.
Amended by: 
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1378 (S.B. 560), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2007.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 4 (S.B. 1), Sec. 40.02, eff. September 28, 2011.
Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1352 (S.B. 346), Sec. 4.16, eff. January 1, 2020.
Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 861 (H.B. 3474), Sec. 8.002, eff. September 1, 2023.

Sec. 61.002.  LIABILITY OF COUNTIES FOR PAYMENT OF JURY SERVICE.  (a)  If a civil case is moved by change of venue and tried in another county by a jury, the county in which the case was originally filed is liable for the payment of persons who report for jury service for the case.
(b)  The commissioners court shall determine at each regular meeting if a civil case was tried by a jury in the county on a change of venue from another county since its last regular meeting.
(c)  The commissioners court shall prepare an account against another county that is liable for the payment of persons who report for jury service in a case transferred on a change of venue.  The account must show the number of days that each person who reported for jury service was in attendance in court in response to the process and discharged the person's duty and the amount paid as reimbursement under this chapter in the case.
(d)  The county judge of the county in which the case was tried shall certify the correctness of the account and forward it for payment from the jury fund of the county in which the case was originally filed.
(e)  This section does not apply to a civil case transferred by an order of the court based on a motion objecting to improper venue in the case under Rule 86, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure.
Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 480, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1985.
Amended by: 
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1378 (S.B. 560), Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2007.

Sec. 61.003.  DONATION OF REIMBURSEMENT.  (a)  Each person who reports for jury service shall be provided the opportunity, either through a written form or electronically, to direct the county treasurer or a designated county employee to donate all, a specific amount designated by the person, or the entire amount divided among the funds, programs, and county entities listed in this subsection of the person's daily reimbursement under this chapter to:
(1)  the compensation to victims of crime fund established under Subchapter J, Chapter 56B, Code of Criminal Procedure;
(2)  the child welfare, child protective services, or child services board of the county appointed under Section 264.005, Family Code, that serves abused and neglected children;
(3)  any program selected by the commissioners court that is operated by a public or private nonprofit organization and that provides shelter and services to victims of family violence;
(4)  any other program approved by the commissioners court of the county, including a program established under Article 56A.205, Code of Criminal Procedure, that offers psychological counseling in criminal cases involving graphic evidence or testimony;
(5)  a veterans treatment court program established by the commissioners court as provided by Chapter 124; or
(6)  a veterans county service office established by the commissioners court as provided by Subchapter B, Chapter 434.
(a-1)  The form letter provided under Subsection (a) must include a blank in which a person may enter the amount of the daily reimbursement the person wishes to donate.
(a-2)  The form letter provided under Subsection (a) must contain a brief description of the programs designated for donation under that subsection.
(b)  The county treasurer or a designated county employee shall collect any information provided under Subsection (a) directing the county treasurer to donate the reimbursement of a person who reports for jury service.
(c)  The county treasurer shall:
(1)  send all donations made under Subsection (a)(1) to the comptroller, at the time and in the manner prescribed by the attorney general, for deposit to the credit of the compensation to victims of crime fund;
(2)  deposit donations made to the county child welfare board under Subsection (a)(2) in a fund established by the county to be used by the child welfare board in a manner authorized by the commissioners court of the county; and
(3)  send all donations made under Subsection (a)(3), (a)(4), or (a)(6) directly to the program or office, as applicable, specified on the form letter signed by the person who reported for jury service.
(d)  Notwithstanding this section, a juror reimbursement donation program established before January 1, 1995, may solicit juror donations and provide all funds collected in the name of that program to the charities served by that program on January 1, 1995.
(e)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a county that has adopted a system or method of payment authorized by Section 113.048, Local Government Code, may provide a person who reported for jury service in the county an opportunity to donate all, or a specific part designated by the juror, of the juror's daily reimbursement by completing a self-executing application on a form prescribed by the commissioners court that is provided after jury service is concluded.
Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 329, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.  Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 875, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997;  Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1313, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997;  Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1423, Sec. 8.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1997;  Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 41, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.
Amended by: 
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 661 (H.B. 1204), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2007.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1378 (S.B. 560), Sec. 5, eff. September 1, 2007.
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 87 (S.B. 1969), Sec. 11.001, eff. September 1, 2009.
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 235 (S.B. 1675), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2009.
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 235 (S.B. 1675), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2009.
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 734 (S.B. 397), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2009.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1266 (H.B. 3996), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2015.
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1160 (S.B. 1264), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2017.
Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 469 (H.B. 4173), Sec. 2.40, eff. January 1, 2021.
Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 565 (S.B. 456), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2021.
Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 874 (S.B. 1179), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2021.
Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 934 (H.B. 3774), Sec. 11.01, eff. September 1, 2021.
Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 861 (H.B. 3474), Sec. 8.003, eff. September 1, 2023.