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All jury trials in Massachusetts federal courts for next six weeks postponed

By adamg on Thu, 03/12/2020 - 1:25pm

F. Dennis Saylor, chief judge of US District Court in Massachusetts, today ordered the postponement of all jury trials in Boston, Worcester and Springfield federal courts between now and April 27 postponed because of the spread of Covid-19 and Gov. Baker's declaration of a state of emergency.

Court offices will remain open and arraignments will continue. "Bench trials," in which cases are tried before a judge rather than a jury, can continue, at the discretion of individual judges, but in his order, Saylor encourages judges to hold conferences and other meetings via telephone or videoconferencing

Saylor adds that any defendants who object to a delay because it would deprive them of a speedy trial can appeal to him to hold a trial.

H/t Keren Goldenberg.

Neighborhoods: 
South Boston
Topics: 
Crime
Free tagging: 
Covid-19
public health
AttachmentSize
PDF icon Saylor's order708.43 KB


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Comments

By anon on Thu, 03/12/2020 - 1:43pm.

Damn, and I just put mine off for the one year they allow. I have been summoned like clockwork once every three years (and sometimes inbetween when I didn't have to go) since I was of age in the 1970s. This makes 13 or so times now. I never met another single person whom this has happened to. I go and do my civic duty but I sure wish I knew what was at the bottom of it. It can't simply be "the luck of the draw".

By anon on Thu, 03/12/2020 - 1:49pm.

Skip the jury and bag the case for good. Bench trials are where the hackerama operates most effectively. harrumph harrumph

By CopleyScott17 on Thu, 03/12/2020 - 1:51pm.

I'm scheduled for Jury Duty at the Edward W. Brooke Courthouse next Wednesday. Haven't heard an official cancelation yet, but I can't imagine they'd proceed in the current circumstances.

What a mess :-(

By anon on Thu, 03/12/2020 - 2:13pm.

Wondering too, I have jury duty at Suffolk Superior on Monday.

By Storrow24 on Thu, 03/12/2020 - 5:36pm.

But I kind of doubt it. As of this morning, the trial court was still saying they intended to "conduct business as usual" and forced a juror to report who had been told to quarantine. I hope they will see the actions that the federal court is taking and follow suit. They are being incredibly shortsighted right now.