Gwinnett County extends judicial emergency, jury trials still canceled

Gwinnett County jury trials will not happen for at least two more weeks. AJC FILE PHOTO

Gwinnett County jury trials will not happen for at least two more weeks. AJC FILE PHOTO

A Gwinnett County order that canceled jury trials has been extended for another two weeks.

The original order, signed March 13, canceled jury trials through March 30 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Monday, Chief Judge George F. Hutchinson III of the Superior Court of Gwinnett County signed an order extending the judicial emergency until April 13.

No jurors or grand jurors will report through April 13 and the courts will not hear any civil or non-essential matters.

Essential court functions will continue to take place. Those include arrest and search warrants, first appearance hearings and family violence and stalking temporary protective order applications and hearings.

If the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia extends the state’s judicial emergency, the amended order in Gwinnett will also be extended.