New jury trials suspended into next year as COVID cases increase, Pierce County says
Pierce County is suspending new jury trials until at least Jan. 11 in response to the coronavirus pandemic, court officials said.
“Our Executive Committee met this morning, and due to the spike in COVID-19 cases and our interest in keeping staff and court participants as safe as possible, has decided to suspend new jury trials,” a Pierce County Superior Court news release said Monday. “... Jury trials already in progress will continue and jurors for those cases are expected to show up at their regularly scheduled time.”
The emergency order affects trials scheduled to start “on or after Nov. 23.” It does not affect bench trials or other court appearances.
There were 1,444 criminal cases waiting for trial as of Nov. 20.
More than 530 defendants were in custody.
Pierce County District Court also said in a press release Monday that it will suspend all criminal and civil jury trials, starting Nov. 30 until at least Jan. 11.
Pierce County and other courts already suspended trials earlier this year, then slowly resumed them with safety precautions.
In recent days King County Superior and Snohomish Superior also have re-suspended in-person jury trials, citing increasing cases of COVID-19.
As of Monday the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department had reported 3,270 cases in the past 14 days. The 14-day case rate per 100,000 people was 362.5. County totals were at 14,755 confirmed cases and 224 deaths.
Statewide totals were at 147,537 cases and 2,655 deaths.
This story was originally published November 24, 2020 at 11:22 AM.
