With the public being asked to stay home to facilitate the slowing of the spread of the COVID-19, the City of San Marcos Municipal Court will incorporate new procedures to meet the shifting needs of its courtroom beginning Tuesday, April 14.
The Texas Supreme Court, Court of Criminal Appeals, and the Texas Office of Court Administration have approved modifications to Texas courts which allow for the use of virtual coordination of court operations, or Virtual Court Rooms, during this medical crisis.
“We wanted to quickly incorporate this tool to make every effort to address cases for defendants as expediently as possible and to grant extensions in cases when appropriate,” said Presiding Judge Dallari Landry.
The law allows virtual arraignments, pretrial hearings, attorney dockets, show cause dockets, plea dockets, and most hearings (including trials by the Judge). Jury trials will be postponed until it is safe for the public to convene in large groups.
“The need for accommodations during this time of disaster is highly evident,” said Judge Landry. “Our goal is to move forward with a renewed sense of sensitivity to the issues of financial strife being faced by the public and the inability for participants to satisfy certain case requirements.”
