WilCo Court Scheduling Altered Due To Coronavirus

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TX — Williamson County courts have altered their schedules to accommodate safety provisions in light of rising rates of the coronavirus, officials said Thursday.

The scheduling changes have led to postponements and pre-trial resolutions for a number of cases that were already on the docket, according to a county-issued advisory. For example, Judge Doug Arnold, of County Court-at-Law #3 had been scheduled to begin a jury trial next Monday.

"This would have been the first jury trial in Williamson County since the COVID-19 pandemic forced courts to conduct remote proceedings," county officials noted in an advisory. "Yesterday, two of the three cases set on the Dec. 7 trial docket were resolved by agreement. The third was continued to a future date."

Williamson County Administrative District Judge Betsy Lambeth said the changes illustrate the balance being achieved to promote justice while adhering to prevailing safety standards: “Jury trials are critical to the justice system, and our team has worked tirelessly to develop a plan that would allow us to conduct trials as safely as possible.”

The Jury Trial Committee, co-chaired by Arnold and fellow Judge Stacey Mathews, of the 277th District Court, developed an in-depth jury trial plan that includes safeguards to reduce risk to the health and safety of trial participants, county officials explained. The plan was reviewed by Dr. Lori Palazzo, the Williamson County Local Health Authority, and approved by Judge Billy Ray Stubblefield, the regional presiding jurist, officials added.

The plan resulted from collaboration among several county departments, including the District Courts and County Courts-at-Law, District Attorney's Office, County Attorney’s Office, Information Technology, Facilities, the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office, EMS and Constable Precinct 3, county officials said.

“We are focused on balancing the interests of justice with the need to address legitimate health concerns,” Arnold said. “So, while we can’t be at full capacity, we are happy to have developed a process that allows for jury trials to resume in Williamson County, even at a limited level.”

Added Mathews: “Although the cases set for this month will not go to trial, the fact that we are able to schedule additional jury trials beginning the first week of January is an important step in helping our community attain some normalcy during this pandemic.”

Courts restricted in-person proceedings beginning March 2020 in compliance with COVID-19- related orders from the Texas Supreme Court, officials explained. To keep courts open and functioning, Williamson County successfully transitioned to videoconference hearings, officials added. Using technology, judges have conducted hearings and resolved cases throughout the pandemic, and as a result, the courts of Williamson County have remained open and justice administered, according to the advisory.

Patch inquired if the scheduling changes might affect an upcoming trial related to accusations of evidence tampering against outgoing Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody. The case centers on the 2019 in-custody death of Javier Ambler, who died after being tased numerous times following a traffic stop as cameras for the reality show "Live PD" rolled.

"This has no impact on the Chody matter, which is in the early stages and not yet set for any kind of trial," Williamson County spokesperson Ronald Morgan wrote. "That case is being heard in Williamson County by a visiting judge. As I understand it, the next setting, which will be a virtual hearing, is after the first of the year."