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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
National
Andrew Brown

Jury trials to resume in ACT Supreme Court

Jury trials will restart in the ACT Supreme Court from next month.

Trials with jury members will resume from June 15.

Chief Justice Helen Murrell said jury trials would only go ahead if social distancing practices were able to be put in place to ensure the safety of jurors, those accused, witnesses, lawyers and court staff.

"For a significant number of matters, including matters involving multiple accused, it will not be feasible to conduct jury trials in the near future," she said.

"All court attendees will be required to cooperate with measures deemed appropriate by court and security staff, including temperature testing."

A decision was made by the Supreme Court in April to suspend jury trials as it grappled with the coronavirus crisis.

That decision was made five days after the ACT government passed legislation to take away Canberrans' right to a trial by jury during the coronavirus emergency period.

That legislation still allowed judges to exercise discretion and go ahead with a jury trial if the safety requirements were able to be met.

Jury trials will restart from June 15. Picture: Jamila Toderas
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