Chief Justice Melton issued the Twelfth Order Extending Declaration of Statewide Judicial Emergency (the "Order"). In this new Order, Chief Justice Melton lifts the prohibition against conducting jury trials and allows trial courts, in their discretion, to resume jury trials as local conditions allow. This decision comes based on the decline of COVID numbers and on the recognition that "grand jury hearings and jury trials will not actually start until a month or longer after the process for resuming them begins in a particular county or court." See Order at 3.
The discretion of how and when resume jury trials is up to the Chief Judge of each trial court.
Click here to read the full Order.