State Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles Canady issued an emergency order April 6 suspending jury trials in Florida and extending other state legal deadlines through the end of May because of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
This action lengthens a previous order that set the ending date for emergency pandemic court procedures for mid-April.
The April 6 order emphasizes the need for courts to continue social distancing and using remote technology to help keep people safe while also honoring legal requirements.
The Florida Bar issued a summary of the order. It:
• Suspends all jury selection proceedings and grand juries.
• Lists essential and critical proceedings that state courts must continue to perform with appropriate health safeguards, while limiting hearings in other cases.
• Suspends speedy trial rules for criminal matters and noncriminal traffic infractions.
• Suspends a rule requiring clerks of court to immediately issue paperwork to sheriffs when a final judgment is made in eviction cases.
• Extends emergency changes to notarization and oath requirements.
• Extends health-related limits on court-ordered family visitation involving children in the custody of the Florida Department of Children and Families, including allowing visitation by remote electronic means in some instances.
The court will review COVID-19 orders as the pandemic emergency develops and will extend them if needed.
The April 6 order and other emergency orders and advisories are linked on the state Supreme Court’s website: floridasupremecourt.org/emergency.