SANTA FE – New Mexico courts are scheduled to resume jury trials in February after a hiatus in response to surging coronavirus infections.
The Administrative Office of the Courts announced the order Monday. The suspension of jury trials in November did not apply to grand juries that decide whether evidence warrants charges of criminal conduct.
In a news release, state Supreme Court Chief Justice Michael E. Vigil said the state judiciary relies on an emergency response team to monitor pandemic risks.
New Mexico courts have remained open throughout the pandemic as judges use video and telephone conferencing to carry out civil and criminal legal proceedings.
New Mexico wasn’t alone in suspending jury trials. State court systems in Connecticut, New York and New Jersey and courts in Denver took similar precautions in November because of rising virus rates.
And courts from San Diego to Norfolk, Virginia, have had to delay jury selection for trials because too few people responded to jury duty summonses.
