The suspension of in-person jury trials in the state was extended to July 17 amid the coronavirus pandemic, Florida Supreme Court officials announced last week.
The extension includes grand juries, jury selection, criminal and civil jury trials, according to an emergency order issued by Florida’s Chief Justice Charles Canady. The jury trials were initially pushed back to May 29, and then to July 2.
Chief Justice Charles Canady on June 8, 2020, issued new guidelines for state court pandemic jury proceedings including extending the current suspension of jury trials through July 17. Read more: https://t.co/xUA1tMm8WG pic.twitter.com/8JNTPIDvWg
— FloridaSupremeCourt (@flcourts) June 8, 2020
The order also extends the suspension of the statewide grand jury investigating school violence through July 26, officials said.
The order created a remote civil jury trial pilot program. The program aims to identify the logistics of trying a case remotely.
Trial-court circuits participating in the program must report findings and recommendations to Canady no later than Oct. 2. Court officials previously issued a list of court procedures that could be conducted remotely.
Statewide and local court emergency orders can be found on the Florida Supreme Court website. Earlier this month, Gov. Ron DeSantis extended the halt on evictions and foreclosures for Florida residents until July 1.