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Law360 (March 13, 2020, 4:49 PM EDT) -- The Southern District of Florida will be halting all jury trials for two weeks and is encouraging judges to conduct proceedings by telephone or video conference, according to an order issued by its chief judge on Friday.
U.S. Chief District Judge K. Michael Moore delayed all jury trials that were scheduled between March 16 and March 30 throughout the entire district, from Fort Pierce to Key West. The judge also continued all trial-specific deadlines in criminal cases scheduled to begin before March 30 and excluded the two-week period from the requirements of the Speedy Trial Act.
The order also encourages judges to conduct court proceedings remotely whenever possible. The five courthouses in the district will remain open and grand juries will continue to meet, according to the order.
Judge Moore declined to comment further on the order.
On Friday afternoon, Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles Canady suspended most face-to-face legal proceedings throughout the state court system for at least two weeks. The order takes effect on Monday.
All grand jury proceedings, jury selection proceedings, and criminal and civil jury trials are suspended from March 16 through March 27, though proceedings that have already begun may continue until completion at the discretion of the presiding judge, according to the order.
Justice Canady also exempted the two-week period from any speedy trial deadlines.
The move is the first time a limit on face-to-face proceedings has been ordered since 1972, when the state's court system was first unified.
--Editing by Adam LoBelia.
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