US courts in state extend halt to jury trials, in-person proceedings

US courts in state extend halt to jury trials, in-person proceedings

Federal trial courts in California have extended their emergency operating procedures through January, pausing most proceedings and continuing only essential functions in light of climbing COVID-19 cases.

The Central District of California announced Wednesday it had extended its emergency plan to Jan. 29. Since Dec. 9, jury trials and grand jury proceedings have been suspended and will remain so as long as coronavirus hospitalizations and positive diagnoses continue to rise.

All courthouses in the Central District are closed to the public except for criminal matters, which can be conducted remotely with defendants' consent.

Civil matters will continue by telephone or video.

"All criminal document duty will be handled by each division in the normal course of business. In other criminal matters, all appearances will be by telephone or video conference," according to the announcement issued by Kiry K. Gray, the district court executive.

Members of the media and public can listen to hearings by looking up a judge's procedures and schedules or calendar for log-in or call-in information.

In general, chambers copies will not be mandatory in the Central District, though judges can request them through FedEx delivery. They won't be accepted by hand at the courthouses.

The Southern District courts' emergency procedures were to expire Friday but have been extended until Jan. 22, according to an order signed by Chief Judge Larry A. Burns.

"All cases previously scheduled for personal appearances between January 8, 2021 and January 22, 2021, will be continued until after January 22, 2021 or rescheduled for video conference proceedings by the assigned judges," Burns wrote.

The Northern District has suspended in-person, in-court proceedings until Feb. 1. The Eastern District remains closed to the public until further notice, according to Clerk of Court Keith Holland.

-- Gina Kim