Houston Matters
While Jury Duty Is Suspended For Weeks, Some Court Proceedings Still Must Go On
Posted on · Harris County District Clerk Marilyn Burgess explains how the COVID-19 outbreak is affecting the legal system.
Tag: juries
Houston Matters
Does Texas’ New Grand Jury Law Go Far Enough?
Posted on · Last month, Gov. Greg Abbott signed a new law changing how grand juries are selected in Texas. Previously, judge-appointed commissioners picked grand jurors in a system sometimes referred to as "pick-a-pal." Critics said the commissioners tended to select jurors who share their backgrounds, making it less likely grand juries would reflect the diversity of their […]
Houston Matters
Texas’ First Woman Juror Was in Harris Co. in 1954 — So Why Did it Take So Long?
Posted on · A lot changes in the world over 60 years. Take juries. Until the 1950s in Texas, juries were made up of only white men. Women were barred from serving on juries until 1954. African-Americans couldn't serve on juries until even later in the 50s. As we note the 60th anniversary of women first serving on […]
Full Show
Waller County Landfill, NIMBY, and Juries: Houston Matters for Thursday, Aug. 7, 2014
Posted on · An ongoing battle over a proposed landfill in Waller County underscores how “NIMBYism” plays into so many important issues and ideas. From landfills to power plants, prisons to shopping malls, airports to seaports, there are all manner of developments that some communities may find valuable, provided they’re located someplace else. Toxic waste dump? Sure! Just […]