The Supreme Court invites written comments on the attached proposal for virtual civil jury trials during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The Judiciary’s Post-Pandemic Planning Committee on Resuming Jury Trials developed the proposal with discussion and detailed written input from members of the Working Group on COVID-19 Jury Operations, including the New Jersey State Bar Association, the New Jersey Association for Justice, the New Jersey Defense Association, and the Division of Law in the Department of Law and Public Safety. While those stakeholders universally supported some variety of virtual civil jury trials, each made individual suggestions that are to varying extents consistent with and different than the final recommendations as attached. The Court is considering the option of virtual civil jury trials as one way of supporting comprehensive court services while in-person events remain curtailed because of the COVID-19 virus.
Please send any comments on the proposal for virtual civil jury trials in writing by Wednesday, December 16, 2020 to:
Glenn A. Grant, J.A.D. Acting Administrative Director of the Courts Comments on Proposal for Virtual Civil Jury Trials Hughes Justice Complex; P.O. Box 037 Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0037
Comments may also be submitted via email to: Comments.Mailbox@njcourts.gov
The Supreme Court will not consider comments submitted anonymously. Thus, those submitting comments by mail should include their name and address (and those submitting comments by email should include their name and email address). Comments are subject to public disclosure upon receipt.
/s/ Hon. Glenn A. Grant, J.A.D.
Acting Administrative Director of the Courts
Dated: November 25, 2020