GA-EO 22 COVID Update to clients

​To my Clients,
 
I know this is a stressful time for you and it feels like it will never end.  I truly feel the same way.  I wish I had better news to share but we just received notice that Governor Abbott issued Emergency Order 22 (see summary below) which modifies or suspends deadlines and trial procedures through December 1st.
 
For clients out on bond, please understand, the court/judge ranks your case as lowest priority since you aren’t in jail.  Defendants in jail remanded without bond or who have a high bond that can’t post it are higher priority right now.
 
If you are waiting for a jury trial on your case(s), misdemeanor trials will likely not happen until Spring or even summer of 2021 unless the judges here in Bexar County decide to resume sooner.  There is a lot of speculation about how trials will go but the likely order of trials will be that defendants in jail charged with capital offenses and first-degree felonies will go first, followed by lower felony cases, then misdemeanors still in jail.  Civil and criminal juries will be pulled from the same potential jury pool; therefore, civil jury trials will also take priority over criminal misdemeanor cases when urgent matters are involved like the removal of children. After those juries are assigned and trials held, they will go in order of offense date, oldest going first and alternate.
 
If you are wanting to plea or wait out negotiations with the State and do not currently have a date set to plea, please schedule an appointment with me to discuss your case.  Several courts are having Zoom dockets, but many are postponing all dockets until regular court operations resume.  Many court coordinators are simply moving dates out until 2021 without notifying attorneys.  Every one of them is handling things differently so if you would like to discuss your case(s), please schedule an appointment with me at the link below. 
 
Please try to hang in there as best you can.  You can always email me or call me if you have an urgent matter.  I would prefer that if you want to have a lengthy conversation about your case, you schedule an appointment so I can set enough time aside and give you my full attention with your casefile in front of me.  
 
Thanks so much,
 
Valerie Hedlund
Attorney at Law
Office:  (210) 424-4268
Email:  [email protected]
Texts:  (805) 222-7405
https://www.vhedlundlaw.com
To schedule an appointment, please click https://VHedlundLaw.as.me/
 
 
SUMMARY:  Governor’s Executive Order 22 applies to court procedures on 10/1 and permits courts to modify or suspend deadlines and procedures through 12/1; requires courts to continue to use all reasonable efforts to hold proceedings remotely and to follow OCA's Guidance for All Court Proceedings; prohibits Justice and Municipal Courts from holding an in-person jury proceeding prior to 12/1; permits district, county, and probate courts to hold in-person jury trials after certain actions; permits courts to hold virtual jury proceedings in certain cases with certain technology provided to prospective jurors; extends the possession and access to a child provisions from previous orders; extends the ability for an attorney professional disciplinary or disability proceeding to conduct proceedings remotely.