The Court emphasized that these are just guidelines, not law, and may still be objected to. Here are some highlights:
Jury Selection
- Various screening measures and a mask requirement
- Potential jurors will be split into groups of 25, with no more than two groups in the courthouse at a time
Deliberations
- Deliberations (and breaks) will be in the adjacent courtroom, with windows papered over and microphones disabled, rather than the usual jury room
- No mask requirement in the adjacent courtroom if jurors are 6 feet apart
- Jurors will get a computer with exhibits and a projector; one juror will operate
Courtroom Procedures
- All individuals generally wear masks
- Counsel "speaking from a socially-distanced location within the courtroom" may remove masks
- Witnesses will remove masks when testifying
- Counsel to avoid touching/passing out paper by exchanging exhibits electronically beforehand
- Separate podiums and microphones for each side, with counsel responsible for cleaning
- Shared document camera, cleaned by counsel after each use
Courtroom Setup Example
- Expanded jury box
- Plexiglass shields on podiums
- A witness box on an elevated stand in the gallery, with plexiglass shield
Other Rules and Notes
- Videoconferencing may be necessary, for some witnesses
- Overflow rooms may be used; video not guaranteed (may only have audio)
- Sidebars will involve either an "electronic transceiver" (headsets) between the judge and the attorneys, or a combination of e-mails and/or clearing the jury from the courtroom
So far, I haven't heard of any civil jury trials actually taking place.
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