CRIME, POLICE + COURTS
Could court be back in session soon? Salt Lake County discusses pilot program
Nov 5, 2020, 8:50 AM | Updated: Dec 30, 2022, 11:22 am
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — Jury trials may begin later this month in Utah’s largest judicial district. The news comes as discussion has started in Salt Lake County about a pilot program for the court, which could launch shortly after Thanksgiving.
Pondering a pilot program in Salt Lake County
As the Deseret News points out, nothing is set in stone at this time, but the pressure to do something has been mounting as the coronavirus pandemic continues to force cases to pile up all over the state.
In the current initiative that’s being discussed, the interviewing and selecting jurors may take place via videoconference. Officials would also use rapid COVID testing to determine whether those jurors will hear testimony as they sit several feet apart.