Miscellaneous
Coded 19 has had a profound impact on all segments of our country. One that has been impacted the most is the legal sector. Think about it, so much of conducting the affairs of law requires a significant amount of face-to-face contact. Think about going to court. How many people are in that room, and how far apart are they? If they’re wearing masks, can the parties adequately communicate with all parties in the room? One significant issue is being called for jury duty and having to appear in person. Many accommodations have been made to be sure the jury trial process goes on safely and uninterrupted. If you’d like to learn more, listen to this podcast recorded by personal injury lawyer Gloria Seidule with offices in Stuart, Florida. Transcript: Even though COVID-19 is far from over, you can now be called for jury duty in the state of Florida. The US constitution preserves the right to trial by jury. It's important to preserve an impartial verdict by a jury of your peers, rather than by a judge, the government, or a biased panel. But how do we do this in the midst of a pandemic? The solutions are as varied as the judicial circuits in this state. Some are holding Zoom trials where jurors attend the trial remotely. Some jurisdictions are bringing jurors back to the courthouse. Remember when you are called for jury duty in your county, you are required to report. Guidelines such as temperature taking requiring masks and social distancing are being implemented. Jury deliberations need larger spaces, and the number of jurors called to the courthouse is limited. In order to comply with best practices, there may be a number of options for resuming jury duty. But one option that is not available is ending the use of a jury trial. A jury trial is constitutionally guaranteed. When most businesses consider reopening, they don't need to worry about constitutional requirements. It is our duty as US citizens, the judge's duty and the government's duty to preserve the important right of trial by jury, even if it is by Zoom. Stay safe out there.