Those who have received a different looking jury summons from Erath County need not be alarmed that it is a hoax or fake, as the county has transitioned to a new form of jury summons.
The new summons is being used for the Erath County District Court, County Court at Law and both JP Courts, according to District Clerk Wanda Greer.
The first batch of notices went out last week and should be in the hands of those called for jury duty.
The major change is the questionnaire for jurors will now be filled out online by scanning the QR code on the summons or by entering the web address online.
With the new electronic improvements, potential jurors can also request to reschedule or cancel if necessary. That request is then sent to the court clerk who can approve or deny the request.
“If the request needs to be made by the judge, we can deny the request and the potential juror will need to show up the day of the jury trial,” Greer said.
For those people who do not use the internet or have access to the internet, Greer said that the questionnaire can be filled out the morning of the trial and there will be assistance to help fill it out, if needed.
“We ask the public to be patient with us. It will be more efficient and will go smoother,” she said.