The non-response rates are much higher now than they were before the pandemic, court officials say.
“What the real question boils down to are people willing to show up to that court and sit in a jury trial.district courts across the county have suspended jury trials and grand jury proceedings because of virus outbreaks and too few people showing up for jury duty.
Courts are under pressure to resume trials because of the case backlogs piling up during the pandemic.In October, 150 people were summoned for jury duty for the trial of Amber Foley, who is fighting child pornography charges and demanding her constitutional right to a speedy trial.It would be the first criminal trial in Connecticut, in state or federal court, since the pandemic began.
Federal officials have designated one courtroom for jury trials in each of the three federal courthouses in Connecticut, with an entire second courtroom set aside for jurors to gather for breaks and deliberations.Her lawyer, Todd Bussert, argued in court documents that the coronavirus does not trump Foley’s speedy trial rights and other courts around the country have held trials during the pandemic.
In San Diego, a criminal case had to be postponed last month because too few people showed up for jury duty.In Norfolk, Virginia, efforts to resume jury trials during the pandemic stalled recently because roughly nine out of 10 possible jurors weren’t showing up in court, The Virginian-Pilot reported.