MIAMI — As COVID cases surge in South Florida, criminal courts in Miami-Dade county have paused jury trials through Dec. 31.
The decision was made “based on the rising number of COVID cases,” Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Andrea Ricker Wolfson, the chief administrative judge, wrote in an email Sunday to high-ranking officials in the local justice system. “Thank you and please stay safe.”
The pause, which took effect on Monday, comes as Miami-Dade’s criminal justice system is dealing with outbreaks amid the surge in the highly contagious omicron variant of the coronavirus.
The Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office has reported 29 employees who have tested positive for COVID employees since Dec. 13. The Public Defender’s Office has reported 18 recent positive cases since Dec. 15.
It was not immediately clear whether jury trials in Miami-Dade civil court will be affected. As of Tuesday morning, the 11th Judicial Circuit had not made any announcements about updated safety protocols. The impact of the decision will likely be limited — December is generally slow for trials anyway because of the holidays.
Across Florida, in-person court hearings were largely stopped in March 2020 as the threat of the novel coronavirus spread. Florida courts turned to virtual hearings, but in-person hearings — with mask mandates and social distancing requirements — started resuming earlier this year as COVID numbers waned and more people got vaccinated.
By November, citing improved COVID conditions and widespread vaccine availability, Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles Canaday lifted mask requirements for court hearings.
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava last month also lifted indoor mask mandates in county government buildings, citing the low positivity rate after the summer’s Delta variant surge. Shortly after, Miami-Dade Chief Judge Nushin Sayfie also lifted indoor mask requirements in courts, which are county run buildings.
Judges, attorneys, jurors and court staffers are still allowed to wear masks, and some have during recent Miami trials.
