The courts initially planned to start in-person jury trials in December after consulting with local health authorities. Those trials had been canceled due to cases being resolved through mediation, pushing the start of in-person trials to January.
However, after consulting with local health authorities prior to the start of January trials, it was decided they should be canceled, the release said.
“Jury trials are critical to ensuring that the orderly administration of justice continues in our county,” County Court at Law 2 Judge Laura Baker said in the release. “However, the health and safety of our fellow citizens has and will always be a primary concern.”
With this, jurors who have been summoned for jury service on the week of Jan. 11 no longer need to appear, it said.
The next potential date for a jury trial to take place is Feb. 1, when the courts will follow the same coronavirus protection procedures they had planned to conduct in January, the release said.
