Posted on Sep 17, 2020
Jury Trials Expected to Resume this November

“…our system of justice cannot live up to its constitutional mandates of providing fairness and justice without a jury trial system in place. Jury trials are the backbone of our system of justice.” - Chief Justice of Connecticut, Richard A. Robinson.*

We have not seen jury trials in Connecticut since March. Come November 2020, jury trials will be back in session according to Chief Justice Robinson. Here is what you need to know:

When will notice of jury duty resume?

The court plans to start summoning jurors in late September.

Will jury trials be in person?

There is still a possibility of virtual jury trials, but the goal is to have them in person.

What if a potential juror is at high-risk?

COVID-19 exception forms will be mailed with the jury summons. Should a juror wish to be excused, the exception form must be filled out and mailed back to the courthouse.

What safeguards and precautions will be in place at the courthouse?

Face masks will be required, and social distancing guidelines will be enforced. Hand sanitizer will be available and popular surfaces and areas will be cleaned regularly. Testing requirements not yet been established. The court is still working out the logistics. Changes, including no jury boxes, will be implemented to keep everyone safe.

What cases will be heard and in what order?

The court expects both criminal and civil jury trials to resume. However, highest priority will likely be given to criminal matters due to constitutional rights. The court anticipates trials to take longer as court capacity will be lower and there will be less trials.

The pandemic has had overwhelming impact and the Connecticut Judicial Branch was certainly no exception. John Adams once wrote, “Representative government and trial by jury are the heart and lungs of liberty.” As a personal injury firm that represents the victims of tragic injury and loss, we look forward to the resumption of jury trials.

*Robinson, R., 2020. It’S Time For Jury Trials To Resume. [online] Digitaledition.courant.com. [Accessed 14 September 2020].

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