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Juror Walks Off to Take Phone Call as Texas Tests First Jury Trial Via Zoom

In what may be a first across the United States since the coronavirus pandemic canceled jury trials, Texas judges on Monday invited a jury pool to a court proceeding over video teleconference. Monday's hearing in an insurance dispute was actually a "summary jury trial," which is an alternative dispute resolution process.

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Zoom Summary jury trial Judges and lawyers in Texas picked a jury remotely over Zoom video conference, for a “summary jury trial,” an alternative dispute resolution proceeding in which parties get a one-day jury trial, followed by mediation. Photo: YouTube

In what might be a first across the United States, Texas judges on Monday invited a jury pool to a court proceeding over video teleconference.

And they found jury selection unfolded pretty seamlessly over about an hour and a half, with only one hiccup: A juror wandered off screen during a break and couldn’t hear the judges calling him back. Senior Judge Keith Dean said it was the digital version of at the courthouse, when court staff occasionally have to track down a juror in the hallway taking a phone call.

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Angela Morris

Angela Morris

Angela Morris is ALM Media's Texas litigation reporter. She covers lawsuits in all levels of Texas state and federal courts. Based in Austin, Morris earned journalism and government degrees from the University of Texas at Austin in 2006, and since then, has worked primarily as a reporter and writer, but also has skills in videography, photography and podcasts. Follow her on Twitter at @AMorrisReports.

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