As reports of positive COVID-19 cases in the U.S. started to appear in early March, local, state, and federal governments were all faced with having to make changes to their criminal justice system operations in order to prevent further spread of the virus.

How Have Courts Responded to COVID-19?

According to thehttps://www.ncsl.org/research/civil-and-criminal-justice/criminal-justice-and-covid-19.aspx, the five most common efforts that state courts took to prevent further spread of COVID-19 were:

• Restricting or ending jury trials,
• Restricting entrances into courthouses,
• Generally suspending in-person proceedings,
• Granting extensions for court deadlines, including deadlines to pay fees/fines, and
• Encouraging or requiring teleconferences and videoconferences in lieu of hearings

These changes, as well as other measures, were also implemented by the https://www.uscourts.gov/news/2020/07/02/coronavirus-covid-19-response-and-recovery(including the U.S. Supreme Court) in accordance with guidance from the Administrative Office of the United States Courts (AO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Courtrooms Under the 'New Normal'

U.S. courts must balance their workload, uphold Constitutional rights, and try to slow the spread of the virus through adjusted practices. In an article published by thehttps://www.uscourts.gov/news/2020/08/20/courts-restore-operations-covid-19-creates-new-normal, Chief Judge James K. Bredar of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland explained that his courtroom will be outfitted with plexiglass shields, there will be no public gallery, masks will be required, lawyers will be wearing headsets, and stand-alone jury chairs will be spread at least 6-feet apart. Other courts, such as thehttps://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/los-angeles-county-trials-further-delayed-due-to-covid-19/2411216/.have opted to further delay some trials, with some criminal trials resuming in September and civil and non-jury trials resuming in January of 2021. Although thehttps://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/los-angeles-county-trials-further-delayed-due-to-covid-19/2411216/.is planning to roll out remote courtroom solutions, remote appearances cannot, for legal and ethical reasons, be mandated in all cases.

Conducting Jury Trials During COVID-19

On June 4, 2020, thehttps://www.uscourts.gov/news/2020/06/10/judiciary-issues-report-restarting-jury-trials, made up of federal trial court judges, court executives, and representatives from both the federal defender community and the Department of Justice released ahttps://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/combined_jury_trial_post_covid_doc_6.10.20.pdfthat details how to conduct jury trials and convene grand juries during the pandemic. The report provides recommendations for courts as they move to restart jury trials and convene grand juries.

Courts in https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/are implementing measures that align with the suggestions of the report, such as remote completion of juror questionnaires and staggering juror reporting times; providing screening, facemasks, hand sanitizer, and extra cleaning; ensuring social distancing in courtrooms, jury assembly areas, restrooms, and elevators; and shortening the time for verbal voir dire or questioning of jurors.https://www.courts.ca.gov/superiorcourts.htmin some counties are reportedly asking prospective jurors to report for their jury duty at other large places, such as auditoriums and gymnasiums.

In early August, ahttps://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/texas-court-holds-jury-trial-traffic-crime-case-72306128utilized Zoom to conduct a virtual jury trial in a misdemeanor traffic case. However,https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/texas-court-holds-jury-trial-traffic-crime-case-72306128 reported that defense attorneys, scholars, and legal experts have raised concerns regarding the use of Zoom and other video conferencing options for criminal cases, which include concerns that the video conferencing does not allow jurors to fully assess witness credibility and that it "falls short of the Constitutional guarantee that defendants can confront witnesses." As the threat of COVID-19 continues, courts will continue to adapt to the 'new normal.'

Considering this new normal, respond to the below questions. I have also included a few videos.

Briefly explain the impact that the pandemic has had on the court system in the United States.

Does having virtual criminal trials on conferencing platforms like Zoom uphold the accused's Sixth Amendment rights. (Agree or Disagree)

Is public health and safety from the COVID-19 virus more important than the accused's right to a speedy trial? (Yes or No)

Describe the measures courts have implemented due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Do you think these measures will be effective as courts begin to resume jury trials and court operations? Why or why not?

VIDEO 1

https://youtu.be/2-pYKvlCE-g

VIDEO 2

https://youtu.be/AidUqvxixs8

VIDEO 3

https://youtu.be/dcl2s4I9AWs

VIDEO 4

https://youtu.be/s3vq5zEgaJ8

Answer rating: 100% (QA)

The COVID19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the court system in the United States According ... View the full answer