Stephens County Jury Trials will resume in October

Jury trials will resume next month in Stephens County.

On Thursday, Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court Harold Melton, announced, in his sixth order extending his Declaration of Statewide Judicial Emergency, that jury trials, which have been prohibited since March 14, will be permitted to resume in October 2020.

The Chief Justice has established a task force which has issued guidelines for jury trials, including requirements that social distancing and face-coverings be used, that the number of jurors present at one time for jury selection be limited, and that provisions be made for the sanitizations of the courtrooms and common areas of the courthouse.

Melton’s most recent Statewide Declaration of Judicial Emergency also requires that the Chief Judge of each circuit establish a COVID-19 jury committee in each county for the purpose of developing guidelines and procedures for jury trials tailored to their specific courtrooms, courthouses, and facilities.

The duty of each committee is to create local guidelines to safeguard the health and safety of all person involved, while protecting the Constitutional Rights of the parties, and meeting the requirements of law regarding public access and open courtrooms.

Members of the Stephens County COVID-19 Jury Committee established by order of Chief Superior Court Judge Russell W. Smith and Superior Court Judge B. Chan Caudell include: Smith, District Attorney George Christian, Chief Public Defender Drew Powell, Stephens County State Court Solicitor Ann Pickett, State Court Public Defender Nina Svoren, Clerk of Superior and State Courts Tim Quick, Stephens County Sheriff Randy Shirley, Attorney Austin L. Perry, Attorney Matthew D. Skilling, Senior Judge James Cornwell; and Georgia Department of Public Health District 2 Director Dr. Pamela Logan.

Again, jury trials in Stephens County will resume in October.

WNEG News will continue to follow this story and bring you additional details as they become available.