SRC-PNG S.C.R. 13 76(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.C.R. 13
76R1274 RVH-DBy: Ellis
Jurisprudence
2/18/1999
As Filed


DIGEST 

Currently, trial court jurors in Texas are not allowed to take notes during
a trial.  Juror note taking encourages more active jury participation,
encourages attentiveness, and reduces the jurors' requests for the court
reporter to read back testimony, thereby slowing down the trial. This
resolution urges the Supreme Court of Texas to adopt a rule to allow trial
courts discretion in permitting note taking by jurors. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.C.R. 13 submits the following resolutions:

 That the Supreme Court of Texas adopt a rule to allow trial courts
discretion in permitting  note taking by jurors. 

 That the secretary of state forward an official copy of this resolution to
the chief justice of  the Supreme Court of Texas.