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{"id":61470,"date":"2020-07-22T18:00:58","date_gmt":"2020-07-22T22:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/?p=61470"},"modified":"2020-07-23T14:56:09","modified_gmt":"2020-07-23T18:56:09","slug":"as-jury-trials-slowly-resume-courts-still-facing-many-challenges","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/2020\/07\/22\/as-jury-trials-slowly-resume-courts-still-facing-many-challenges\/","title":{"rendered":"As Jury Trials Slowly Resume, Courts Still Facing Many Challenges"},"content":{"rendered":"

A sign of normalcy is returning to Florida courts.<\/p>\n

For the first time since the start of the pandemic, jury trials are slowly resuming.<\/p>\n

The three cases are the first step towards restarting the justice system, but many challenges remain.<\/p>\n

<\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Balancing public health and the constitutional right to a jury trial is at the heart of the challenge facing both federal and state courts.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou cannot simply shut it down and so by the same token you cannot be reckless, you cannot take unnecessary risks,\u201d said US Attorney for Florida\u2019s Northern District, Lawrence Keefe.<\/p>\n<p>Keefe, has successfully gone forward with two criminal trials this month.<\/p>\n<p>They’re the first in the state since March.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere was no magic formula or silver bullet,\u201d said Keefe.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 33%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-61470 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/2020\/07\/22\/as-jury-trials-slowly-resume-courts-still-facing-many-challenges\/jury-trials\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"113\" src=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials-200x113.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/2020\/07\/22\/as-jury-trials-slowly-resume-courts-still-facing-many-challenges\/jury-trials00000001\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"113\" src=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials00000001-200x113.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials00000001-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials00000001-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials00000001.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/2020\/07\/22\/as-jury-trials-slowly-resume-courts-still-facing-many-challenges\/jury-trials00000002\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"113\" src=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials00000002-200x113.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials00000002-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials00000002-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials00000002.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>Utilizing the safety precautions recommended by the CDC is at the heart of Keefe\u2019s strategy.<\/p>\n<p>“There’s nothing particularly new. Masks, gloves, hand sanitizers, social distancing,\u201d said Keefe.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s also progress in state court.<\/p>\n<p>A civil case in Miami used Zoom to select a jury, then went forward with an in person jury trial, taking every precaution including face masks, temperature checks and rearranging the courtroom.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 33%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-2' class='gallery galleryid-61470 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/2020\/07\/22\/as-jury-trials-slowly-resume-courts-still-facing-many-challenges\/jury-trials00000003\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"113\" src=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials00000003-200x113.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials00000003-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials00000003-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials00000003.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/2020\/07\/22\/as-jury-trials-slowly-resume-courts-still-facing-many-challenges\/jury-trials00000006\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"113\" src=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials00000006-200x113.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials00000006-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials00000006-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials00000006.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/2020\/07\/22\/as-jury-trials-slowly-resume-courts-still-facing-many-challenges\/jury-trials00000005\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"113\" src=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials00000005-200x113.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials00000005-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials00000005-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials00000005.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>They also allowed jurors to park in the courthouse and set aside two additional courtrooms for jurors to be able to social distance during breaks.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was a little bit constraining, but we got the job done and we did get a verdict,\u201d said Judge Beatrice Butchko of Florida\u2019s 11th Judicial Circuit, who oversaw the trail.<\/p>\n<p>The problem facing these early efforts at conducting trials is their scalability.<\/p>\n<p>So far there isn\u2019t a great option available.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe can’t let jurors park in the courthouse for every case. We can’t afford to use three courtrooms for every case,\u201d said Judge Jennifer Bailey, who helped with the logistics of the Miami trial.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-3 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-3 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 33%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-3 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-3 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-3' class='gallery galleryid-61470 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/2020\/07\/22\/as-jury-trials-slowly-resume-courts-still-facing-many-challenges\/jury-trials00000004\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"113\" src=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials00000004-200x113.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials00000004-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials00000004-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials00000004.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/2020\/07\/22\/as-jury-trials-slowly-resume-courts-still-facing-many-challenges\/jury-trials00000007\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"113\" src=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials00000007-200x113.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials00000007-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials00000007-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials00000007.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/2020\/07\/22\/as-jury-trials-slowly-resume-courts-still-facing-many-challenges\/jury-trials00000010\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"113\" src=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials00000010-200x113.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials00000010-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials00000010-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jury-trials00000010.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>One potential solution that has been suggested would be to conduct fully virtual jury trials.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think it’s possible, I think it’s a necessary option that we all have to explore,\u201d said Judge Butchko.<\/p>\n<p>Mock virtual trials are being experimented with, but there are questions surrounding the constitutionality of conducting jury trials out of the courtroom.<\/p>\n<p>The Judges we spoke with worry even with a vaccine, it will be quite some time before the court system is able to get back to its previous capacity for jury trials.<\/p>\n<p>Judge Bailey expects a flood of civil cases related to the pandemic.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s also the backlog of cases, which are growing larger each day.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A sign of normalcy is returning to Florida courts. For the first time since the start of the pandemic, jury trials are slowly resuming. The three cases are the first step towards restarting the justice system, but many challenges remain. Balancing public health and the constitutional right to a jury trial is at the heart […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":132,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61470"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/132"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=61470"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61470\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":61484,"href":"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61470\/revisions\/61484"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61470"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=61470"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=61470"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}