Falling COVID rates mean jury trials can resume, according to Pierce County court
Criminal and civil jury trials are set to resume next month in Pierce County Superior Court.
“Pierce County Superior Court confirms the resumption of all jury trials on March 1, 2021,” court officials said in a press release Monday. “With the dramatic drop in COVID positive cases, the move of Pierce County into Phase 2 of the Governor’s reopening plan and the health and safety measures previously instituted by the Court, the judges believe it is safe to resume jury trials.”
The court suspended trials last year in response to the pandemic, slowly resumed them with safety precautions, then suspended them again in November as cases surged. Last month court officials said it would be at least March 1 before jury trials resumed.
Some will be held off-site.
“The trials include 12-person criminal and 6-person civil trials held at the County City Building, along with 12-person civil trials held at our two remote trial locations: Lakewood Community Center and Remann Hall Juvenile Court,” the press release said.
Pierce County reported 119 cases Monday and three new deaths. Statewide totals were 323,214 cases and 4,451 deaths.
