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District Clerk Vicki Vines: Jury pull for capital-murder case could raise juror costs
Summary
District Clerk Vicki Vines told county officials they are "pulling the jury for that case," warning that juror pay and any added courthouse security could be expensive up front though the county expects reimbursement from the other jurisdiction, requiring budget accounting for the temporary outlay.
District Clerk Vicki Vines said the court is assembling a jury for an upcoming capital-murder case and warned the county will front juror pay and related costs, then seek reimbursement. "We are pulling the jury for that case," Vines said, adding that if the defendant is found competent the expense of keeping jurors through trial "is gonna be quite expensive to pay for jurors to keep."
County staff and the chair discussed how those reimbursements should appear in the county budget. Officials noted Tom Green County typically pays jurors up front and then bills the other jurisdiction for reimbursement; staff recommended showing the upfront expense in the operating budget and recording incoming reimbursements under other receipts once the county receives payment. One staff member said at this preliminary stage a precise estimate for reimbursable juror costs was not available and would need to be tracked and billed back once hours and expenses are tallied.
