As COVID-19 continues to rise in Georgia, state Supreme Court Chief Justice Harold D. Martin is urging the state’s courts to reevaluate resuming jury trials and other in-person court proceedings.
In a statement Wednesday, Melton said judges may need to reverse court on the in-person hearings if the spread of the virus prevents them from doing so safely.
Melton made the statement after signing his ninth order extending the statewide judicial emergency he first announced March 14, 2020, due to the pandemic. He signed similar orders in September, October and last month authorizing judges to resume grand jury proceedings and jury trials as long as courts followed strict public health guidelines.
“While this order does not impose a blanket shutdown of non-essential in-person proceedings, courts should remain vigilant of changing COVID-19 conditions and be prepared to suspend jury trials as necessary and to reconsider grand jury proceedings as well,” the order says.
“For those in-person proceedings courts decide to continue, they should do so only if they can maintain the safety of all participants,” Melton said.
