In-person criminal trials to resume March 15

Emily Cutts, Post-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.
·2 min read

Feb. 26—In-person criminal jury trials have been given the go ahead to resume in mid-March. They were halted last fall as COVID-19 infections in the state skyrocketed.

Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Lorie Gildea issued an order on Feb. 18, following a meeting of the Judicial Council, permitting the restarting of criminal jury trials in district court across the state.

"We are gradually increasing in-person activities in court facilities in a safe and responsible manner that will allow the courts to fulfill our constitutional obligation, while we continue to do all that we can to protect public health and safety," Gildea said in a statement.

In Olmsted County, a larger courtroom was constructed to allow for Olmsted County District Court to conduct in-person jury trials while adhering to COVID-19 safety guidelines related to physical distancing. The approximately 25,000 square-foot space is in the Olmsted County Annex Building, across Fourth Street from the city-county Government Center in Rochester.

Civil jury trials may not start before April 30, although exceptions are available. Courts are allowed to hold civil jury trials remotely if the presiding judge and the parties agree.

All other court proceedings, both civil and criminal will be held remotely, with limited exceptions.

At the end of March 2020, Gildea ordered a halt to new jury trials. In June, a small number of district courts in Minnesota were given the go-ahead to restart criminal jury trials as part of a pilot program. Olmsted County was among the small list of courts. As the summer progressed, more courts were allowed to conduct jury trials and increase in-person proceedings. In November, Gildea issued an order suspending jury trials and ramped up remote hearings. The order was set to expire on Feb. 1, but the Judicial Council unanimously voted in January 2021 to extend the order until March 15.