Federal court in Atlanta halts jury trials over coronavirus concerns
Jury trials and grand jury proceedings in federal courts across north Georgia are being suspended for 30 days because of concerns over the coronavirus outbreak, the court’s chief judge said in an order signed Monday.
The Northern District of Georgia, which has courthouses in Atlanta, Newnan, Rome and Gainesville, is taking such measures due to the “severity of risk posed to the court, its bar and the public,” Chief Judge Thomas Thrash said.
This follows a judicial emergency issued Saturday for the state courts by Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Harold Melton. That directive ordered state judges to "suspend all but essential court functions" for 30 days.
The order signed by Thrash for federal court said in-court appearances, such as bond hearings and arraignments for which alternative means are not possible, will still be handled by U.S. magistrate judges.
Individual judges, the order said, may continue to hold hearings, conferences and bench trials in the exercise of their discretion. These judges also may take actions consistent with the order “to ensure the fairness of the proceedings and preserve the rights of the parties.”
About the Author
Bill Rankin has been an AJC reporter for more than 30 years. His father, Jim Rankin, worked as an editor for the newspaper for 26 years, retiring in 1986. Bill has primarily covered the state’s court system, doing all he can do to keep the scales of justice on an even keel. Since 2015, he has been the host of the newspaper’s Breakdown podcast.
