Judicial Emergency order extended due to increase in COVID cases

GEORGIA (41NBC/WMGT) – With Georgia seeing an increase in new COVID-19 cases, the Georgia Supreme Court is warning judges and courtrooms to be prepared to suspend jury trails and grand jury proceedings.

Chief Justice Harold Melton announced Wednesday judges should stand ready to reverse course on resuming in-person court proceedings if the spread of the virus in their area prevents them from doing so safely.

Melton made the statement after signing his ninth order extending the Statewide Judicial Emergency another 30 days to Jan. 8th.

The order is similar to orders Melton signed in September, October, and November which allowed judges to begin resuming grand jury proceedings and jury trials, as long as courts follow public health guidance and COVID-19 safeguards.

“We recognize there is such a thing as Zoom fatigue,” said Chief Justice Melton. “But we urge people not to get weary just yet. Now is not the time to relax, especially as we anticipate the arrival of vaccinations in the next few months.”

Melton’s newly signed order does not impose a blanket shutdown of in-person proceedings. But it does urge courts to “conduct proceedings remotely to the fullest extent legally possible as a safer alternative to in-person proceedings. “

For courts conducting in-person proceedings, Melton says judges should manage their case calendars to minimize wait times and avoid groups of people in the courtroom at one time.

Additionally, district attorneys are urged to prioritize for indictment criminal cases of defendants who have been detained. Previous orders have placed a stay on the state law requirement that detained defendants must have a grand jury hearing within 90 days or be granted a bond.

For detained juvenile defendants, the law normally guarantees a grand jury hearing within 180 days.

Melton says the Georgia Supreme Court will be lifting that stay at some point to reduce backlogs.