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11 Document(s) [ Subject: Juries ]

Committee:	House Criminal Justice Reform, Interim Study
Title:	Interim Report
Subjects:	Asset forfeiture | Bail | Juries | Jury instructions | Juvenile detention facilities | Juvenile justice system | Parole | Penalties and sentences (Criminal justice) | Police misconduct | Police officers | Police reform | Prisons | Prosecutorial misconduct |
Library Call Number:
Session:	87th R.S. (2021)
Online version:	View report [42 pages  File size: 1,951 kb]
Charges:	This report should address the charges below.
1.	Monitor the implementation of SB 6, 87th 2nd C.S., relating to changes in the state's bail system, to determine if additional legislation is needed to ensure Texans are protected from the most dangerous criminals while ensuring the constitutional rights of defendants.
2.	Examine the following areas of criminal justice policy: (A) Policing, including training, use of force, arrest procedures, and alternative responses to nonviolent and noncriminal issues; (B) Criminal procedure and due process from initial detention through appeal, including: policies and penalties relating to drug offenses; use of prosecutorial discretion; use and conditions of detention and incarceration; the civil asset forfeiture process; and jury instructions and sentencing guidelines in felony cases; (C) The level of transparency in policing and prosecution, including the grand jury process; (D) The appropriate age range for the juvenile justice system and parole eligibility, in addition to procedures for juveniles certified as adults; and (E) Opportunities to reduce recidivism and remove barriers to re-entry after justice involvement.
Committee:	House Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence
Title:	Interim Report
Subjects:	Appellate courts | Border issues | Court congestion | Drug courts | Family law courts | Guardianship | Juries | Operation Lone Star (Border security) | Specialty courts | Veterans courts |
Library Call Number:
Session:	87th R.S. (2021)
Online version:	View report [49 pages  File size: 3,204 kb]
Charges:	This report should address the charges below.
1.	Examine current caseloads and capacity issues for courts handling matters related to the Texas-Mexico border. Evaluate the preparedness of the court system to handle increases in caseloads that may result from the border crisis response and make recommendations to ensure the continued fair and efficient administration of justice in the state in addressing any increased caseloads. (Joint charge with Committee on Juvenile Justice and Family Issues)
2.	Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 87th Legislature. Conduct active oversight of all associated rulemaking and other governmental actions taken to ensure the intended legislative outcome of all legislation.
3.	Study potential solutions to improve the judicial efficiency of the state courts of appeals by analyzing caseloads and making appropriate recommendations.
4.	Evaluate the use and types of guardianships in Texas and the effect of guardianship on individual rights. Study the financial costs to families related to attaining and maintaining guardianship and compare costs to those associated with guardianship alternatives, such as supported decision-making.
5.	Study the operations of specialty courts. Determine whether additional specialty courts should be considered to address needs within specific populations. Review specialty court methods and best practices that have been implemented for specialty courts in other states, including their impact on judicial efficiency.
6.	Study state laws and procedures relating to jury service eligibility, including a review of existing jury exemptions, and make recommendations to ensure the privilege, right, and duty of jury service is protected and promoted.
Committee:	House Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence
Title:	Interim Report
Subjects:	Coronavirus | Court records | Criminal justice | Guardianship | Highway construction | Juries | Jurisdiction (Legal) | Sex crimes | Sexual harassment | Statutes of limitation | Wills and estates |
Library Call Number:	L1836.86 J898
Session:	86th R.S. (2019)
Online version:	View report [79 pages  File size: 5,349 kb]
Charges:	This report should address the charges below.
1.	Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 86th Legislature. Conduct active oversight of all associated rulemaking and other governmental actions taken to ensure intended legislative outcome of all legislation, including the following: HB 2899, which specifies that highway construction contractors are not liable for design defects. Investigate whether expansion of those policies to other areas of public/private contracting is in the best interest of the state. HB 3809, which raises the statute of limitations for suit for injuries from a sexual assault of a child from 15 years to 30 years. Study and deliberate ways to enhance protections for victims of sexual abuse. Review other Texas laws relating to reporting and investigating incidents of workplace sexual harassment. Make recommendations to remove barriers to reporting and investigating incidents of sexual harassment and to make improvements to existing policies where necessary. HB 4531, which authorizes adults under guardianship to consent to forensic medical examination protocols. Monitor the impact of the legislation on the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of sexual assault, and study the impact on other related offenses and the treatment and services provided to victims of those offenses. SB 2342, which increases the amount in controversy for certain courts and expedited proceedings and makes reforms to jury requirements in order to improve access to courts. Review the impact of the legislation on the administration of justice and access to courts for Texas citizens
2.	Study opportunities to modernize and improve local and statewide data collection throughout the criminal justice system in Texas, including improving the collection and reporting of court records, to promote transparency and ensure uniform data collection processes.
3.	Study the Rule Against Perpetuities as used by trusts. Examine whether statutory changes are necessary and appropriate to make Texas more competitive and keep trust capital and estate planning business in Texas.
4.	Monitor the State Auditor's review of agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction. The Chair shall seek input and periodic briefings on completed audits for the 2019 and 2020 fiscal years and bring forth pertinent issues for full committee consideration.
5.	Compile information regarding the effects of COVID-19 on the judiciary, with particular reference to the following questions: 1. Have you had any difficulty acquiring PPE for your court, county, or staff? 2. How have your caseloads been impacted by COVID-19? Do you have a backlog of cases? 3. What has been your experience in using Zoom or other online platforms for court proceedings? 4. How has the pandemic impacted court staff, e.g. space, teleworking, flexible work shifts, etc.? *
Committee:	House Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence
Title:	Interim Report
Subjects:	Civil legal aid | Courts | Discovery (Law) | Human trafficking | Juries | Legal forms | Parent-school relationships | Texas Lemon Law |
Library Call Number:	L1836.84 J898
Session:	84th R.S. (2015)
Online version:	View report [59 pages]
Charges:	This report should address the charges below.
1.	Study the recently enacted Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act and determine how Texas’s anti-trafficking laws could benefit from the Act. In addition, examine strategies for tracking the demand for commercial sex in Texas and the feasibility of creating a statewide trafficking reporting system.
2.	Examine whether family law statutes and those affecting the parent-child relationship provide sufficient guidance to Texas judges as to the appropriate application of foreign law. Consider whether additional statutory provisions regarding application of foreign law could provide useful guidance while preserving judges' ability to consider the circumstances of each case and not needlessly prolonging litigation.
3.	Evaluate recent efforts to make the court system more accessible for self-represented litigants, and make recommendations on how the courts can more effectively interact with unrepresented parties and increase access to legal information, assistance, and representation. Examine similar efforts in other states.
4.	Examine issues related to jury service in Texas, including participation and response rates, the accuracy of jury wheel data, and possible methods to improve response and participation.
5.	Study the implementation of the expedited action provisions of HB 274, 82nd R.S., and examine whether these provisions have been effective in encouraging the prompt and efficient resolution of cases.
6.	Examine the rights, duties, remedies, and procedures available to consumers under Subchapter M, Chapter 2301, Texas Occupations Code (the Texas "Lemon Law"). Monitor the results of complaints filed under this subchapter and how these rights, duties, remedies, and procedures compare to those in other states.
7.	Conduct legislative oversight and monitoring of the agencies and programs under the committee’s jurisdiction and the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 84th Legislature. In conducting this oversight, the committee should: a. consider any reforms to state agencies to make them more responsive to Texas taxpayers and citizens; b. identify issues regarding the agency or its governance that may be appropriate to investigate, improve, remedy, or eliminate; c. determine whether an agency is operating in a transparent and efficient manner; and d. identify opportunities to streamline programs and services while maintaining the mission of the agency and its programs.
Committee:	Senate Jurisprudence
Title:	Interim Report
Library Catalog Title:	Senate Committee on Jurisprudence interim report
Subjects:	Adoption | Air pollution control technology | Child abuse | Child custody | Children's Advocacy Centers | Extraterritorial jurisdiction | Grandparents | Houston, Texas | Judges | Juries | Medical records | Occupational licenses | Parents | Private investigators | Probate courts | Records management | Rules of evidence | Texas Code of Criminal Procedure | Visitation rights |
Library Call Number:	L1836.80 J979
Session:	80th R.S. (2007)
Online version:	View report [161 pages  File size: 5,386 kb]
Charges:	This report should address the charges below.
1.	Study the laws governing suits affecting the parent-child relationship involving non-parents, including suits for possession of or access to a child by a grandparent, and make recommendations for providing the best care and protection for the children involved. Provide an assessment of the constitutional issues involved with these suits.
2.	Study the management and storage of adoption records, including the costs and benefits of converting records into digital format. Study ways to increase access by adopted persons and their children and spouses to important family medical history information and ensure that medical history information is updated, while maintaining privacy and anonymity of records.
3.	Examine the role of heir finders in Texas and make recommendations regarding professional standards and fees for heir finders.
4.	Identify and study best practices for representation of children in child abuse and neglect cases and determine whether to implement further training, oversight, or other requirements for judges, attorneys, and others responsible for child abuse and neglect cases, including child sexual abuse cases. Develop and implement tools for children’s advocacy centers (CACs) and prosecutors to successfully investigate and prosecute child abusers. Include the following: Explore changes to the rules of evidence that could facilitate the presentation of child testimony in court; Explore making prior extraneous sex offenses admissible during determination of guilt, as has been adopted in the federal court system; and Explore possible expansion of the rules regarding how cases are consolidated and punishments are stacked in a single trial involving a crime committed against a child.
5.	Study practices intended to enhance the jury experience and increase jury participation, including: allowing jurors to ask questions of witnesses by submitting them to the judge in writing; allowing lawyers to periodically summarize testimony for the jury; allowing jurors to take notes during trial; and allowing jurors to discuss evidence among themselves during trial.
6.	Study and make recommendations relating to the jurisdiction, authority, power and discretion of probate judges in Texas, including the authority of a probate judge to intervene in a non-probate case.
7.	Study administrative and legal procedures used by municipalities to exert regulatory authority beyond city limits and extraterritorial jurisdiction. Determine whether conflicts exist with agencies' regulatory authority and regulatory authority delegated to home-rule municipalities, and make recommendations for appropriate delegation and clarification of respective authorities.
8.	Monitor the implementation of legislation addressed by the Jurisprudence Committee, 80th R.S., and make recommendations for any legislation needed to improve, enhance, and/or complete implementation.
Committee:	Senate Jurisprudence
Title:	Interim report
Library Catalog Title:	Interim report to the 76th Legislature.
Subjects:	Appellate courts | Attorneys | Court congestion | Court costs and fees | Fines | Judicial campaign contributions | Judicial districts | Judicial Districts Board | Judicial selection | Juries | Jury duty | Redistricting | State Auditor's Office, Texas |
Library Call Number:	L1836.75 j979
Session:	75th R.S. (1997)
Online version:	View report [90 pages  File size: 4,360 kb]
Charges:	This report should address the charges below.
1.	Study the selection of judges in the state courts as well as the statutory county courts-at-law and probate courts, and make recommendations for any legislative action. The committee should consider the report made to the 75th Legislature by the Texas Commission on Judicial Efficiency and legislation introduced during the 75th Legislature.
2.	Study and evaluate the process of judicial districting with emphasis on the intermediate level of courts in Texas and, if necessary, make recommendations for any legislative action.
3.	Review any reports made by the Texas State Auditor regarding the court system and efficiency of the courts which may be issued prior to the 76th Legislature, and consider whether legislative action is needed.
4.	Study the costs assessed on parties filing civil lawsuits and appeals in district, county and appellate courts and evaluate whether those costs are unreasonable or overly burdensome. The Committee should review relevant legislation introduced during the 1997 regular session.
5.	Evaluate the collection efforts of criminal fines imposed by the courts to determine how courts, court clerks, community supervision departments, the Division of Paroles in the Department of Criminal Justice, and the Board of Pardons and Paroles may enhance collection efforts. If improvement in collection efforts is needed, the Committee should make recommendations. A review of other states' methods may be conducted.
6.	Review ways to improve service on juries and service by jurors. The committee should consider the work of the task force created by the Texas Supreme Court to study the jury system in Texas, as well as review the results of any similar studies which have taken place or are presently taking place in other states.
7.	Review the legal duties of attorneys and guardians in the negotiation and settlement of their client's civil claims. The Committee should consider whether current law and regulations ensure that clients' interests are protected and promote the efficient and effective resolution of claims. The Committee may make recommendations, if necessary, for legislative action.
Committee:	House Judicial Affairs
Title:	Interim report
Library Catalog Title:	Committee on Judicial Affairs, Texas House of Representatives interim report, 1996 : a report to the House of Representatives, 75th Texas Legislature.
Subjects:	Child custody | Civil legal aid | Juries | Jury duty | Kidnapping | Probate courts | Visitation rights |
Library Call Number:	L1836.75 j899
Session:	74th R.S. (1995)
Online version:	View report [44 pages  File size: 2,131 kb]
Charges:	This report should address the charges below.
1.	Conduct active oversight of agencies under the committee's jurisdiction.
2.	Study the feasibility of developing uniform forms for simple pro se proceedings like uncontested divorce actions involving no property or children and probate proceedings in small, simple and uncontested cases to conform with current law.
3.	Review current issues relating to jury service, including exemptions from service, composition of the jury wheel and possible variations in jury wheel composition in different counties.
4.	Review the Probate Code to determine the merits of allowing securities to transfer on the death of the owner by registration of the beneficiary.
5.	Study parental kidnaping laws that allow for child locations and protect battered women.
Committee:	Joint Uniform Jury Handbook, Legislative Oversight
Title:	Interim report
Library Catalog Title:	Interim report of the Legislative Oversight Committee on the Uniform Jury Handbook.
Subjects:	Juries | Jury duty | Trial by jury |
Library Call Number:	L1836.73 j975
Session:	73rd R.S. (1993)
Online version:	View report [17 pages  File size: 718 kb]
Charge:	This report should address the charge below.
1.	Work with the State Bar of Texas in developing a uniform jury handbook that meets the requirements of Chapter 23, Subchapter C, Government Code.
Committee:	House Criminal Jurisprudence
Title:	Interim report
Library Catalog Title:	Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence, Texas House of Representatives interim report, 1992 : a report to the House of Representatives, 73rd Texas Legislature.
Subjects:	At-risk youth | Bail | Crime Victims' Compensation Fund | Elder abuse | Fraud | Gangs | Juries | Juvenile crime | Juvenile justice system | Mental health services | Penalties and sentences (Criminal justice) | School safety | School violence | Senior citizens | Trial by jury | Youth Commission, Texas |
Library Call Number:	L1836.72 c868hj
Session:	72nd R.S. (1991)
Online version:	View report [74 pages  File size: 3,239 kb]
Charges:	This report should address the charges below.
1.	Study the feasibility of developing and implementing a uniform method of reporting gang activity (crime reporting program). Study ways of suppressing gang activity (alternative programs, enhanced penalties, vertical proesecution, parental responsibility, etc.) Study methods to remove hard core gang members from the street (training developing job skills and placement, counseling, community activities). Develop definition of "gang member" to apply on a state-wide basis.
2.	Review and compare rules of the 36 County Bailbond Boards. Compare bail bonds and personal bonds as used in the counties; the rate of collection on forfeitures; the cost of forfeitures to the county; and the rearrest rates. make recommendations for improvements to both systems.
3.	Review the grand jury process. Consider the jury wheel system versus the jury commission.
4.	Study the prevalence of fraud perpetrated upon the elderly in the state. Make recommendations for prevention and protection.
5.	Study the impact of mental health care on the Texas Crime Victims Compensation fund.
6.	Monitor the Texas Punishment Standards Committee.
Committee:	House Grand Juries, House Joint Select
Title:	Interim Report
Library Catalog Title:	To the speaker and members of the Texas House of Representatives, 66th Legislature : report of the / Select Committee on Grand Juries, Texas House of Representatives, 65th Legislature.
Subjects:	Courts | Criminal justice | Juries |
Library Call Number:	L1836.65 g764
Session:	65th R.S. (1977)
Online version:	View report [55 pages  File size: 3,964 kb]
Charge:	This report should address the charge below.
1.	Conduct a study of the grand jury system in Texas, including selection procedures, term and procedures.
Supporting documents
Committee:	House Grand Juries, House Joint Select
Title:	Joint committee studies.
Library Call Number:	LRL
Session:	65th R.S. (1977)
Online version:	View document [7 pages]

* This represents an abstract of the report contents. Charge text is incomplete or unavailable.

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