The Fort Bend County district clerk’s office will be implementing a new jury management system.

Officials with the district clerk’s office said the new system is comprehensive and easy to use in that the system will handle every aspect of the jury process on a single platform. The system enables communication with the public via email, text, and/or phone, while empowering jurors to use the self-serve system which best fts their lifestyle for everything from summons response to juror payment.

“Along with the new jury management system comes a new jury summons format,” Beverley McGrew Walker, district clerk, said. According to Walker, citizens will now receive their summons on a postcard as opposed to the long, legal sized, paper juror summons that they have been accustomed to receiving. She said jurors should be aware of this change in the summons format and be on the lookout for this postcard sized jury summons in their U.S. mail.

“This system helps reduce the number of summonses that are sent to bad mailing addresses, resulting in less waste and more cost savings to Fort Bend County government and ultimately to the taxpayers of Fort Bend County,” Walker said.

The system brings another benefit, according to Michelle Jochen, chief deputy district clerk.

“This new system will provide meaningful data regarding jury yield and utilization that will assist the jury management division of the Fort Bend County district clerk’s office perform their job with greater accuracy and efficiency,” Jochen said.

Courtney Paterson, jury management supervisor, said her jury management staff will be available for assistance if needed during this transition period.

The jury management staff can be reached at 281-344-3900.