Jefferson County Order Issued: Certain Courts will not hold jury trials due to Health & Safety concerns

A Jefferson County Order was issued on March 12, 2020, canceling any jury trials for the 58th, 60th, 136th, 172nd, 279th, 317th District Courts, and County Court at Law No.1 in Jefferson County. This was in response to the growing health concerns regarding Coronavirus.

The order stated “In response to the growing health concerns about the spread of Coronavirus and to protect the citizens of Jefferson County, the Civil District Courts, the Domestic Relations District Courts and County Court at Law No.1 will not be calling any jury trials for the remainder of March nor in the month of April. As this situation continues to develop, we will continue to monitor and assess the concerns of our county and its citizens. Each Court will exercise its own discretion on a case-by-case basis regarding hearings and the calling of bench trials. This statement applies only to the following Courts which includes the 58th, 60th, 136th, 172nd, 279th and 317th District Courts. This statement also applies to County Court at Law No. 1.”

The statement was signed by Hon. Kent Walston, Administrative Judge for Jefferson County. You can find the full statement here.

Other courts in Harris County are following suit by canceling jury trials for this month as well. You can find the full story here.