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“The increasing rates of new cases, hospitalizations and deaths make it impracticable and unsafe for certain in-person court events to continue at the level reached during the past few months,” State Supreme Court Chief Justice Stuart Rabner wrote.
In-person grand jury panels can continue to convene virtually in all 21 counties, under the order signed by Rabner.
Socially distanced jury trials and in-person grand jury sessions in New Jersey’s courts had resumed in September after six months of all-remote proceedings.
However, New Jersey officials this weekend reported the highest number of new COVID-19 cases in a single day – 4,395 -- since April.
By Monday night, the number of cumulative positive tests reportedly had risen by 6,757 since Saturday -- from 274,736 to 281,493.
The state’s highest court extended the periods of excludable time that prosecutors have for bringing cases to a grand jury by 45 days.
“Selections of new grand jury panels will continue in a virtual format,” the order says. “The Judiciary has provided technology as necessary to enable participation by all qualified jurors.”
“Since the start of the pandemic, judges have conducted more than 100,000 remote court events involving more than 1.2 million participants,” the Supremes wrote in a Monday announcement. “The one in-person jury trial in progress will be allowed to continue.
“Fewer in-person trials are ordinarily held in late-November and December. Since September, about a dozen jury trials have been conducted.
“The resumption of jury trials, though, resulted in the resolution of more than 115 criminal cases and settlements in more than 225 civil cases.”
The court said it will “continue to be guided by experts in public health as it administers court operations in a manner that prioritizes the safety of court users.”
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ALSO SEE: Hackensack University Medical Center is suspending all visits again, with certain exceptions, amid a resurgence in coronavirus cases, Daily Voice has learned.
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