Richland jury trials suspended; all state courts relax juror rules due to coronavirus

All jury trials at the Richland County courthouse in downtown Columbia will be postponed until further notice due to concerns about coronavirus, according to S.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Don Beatty.

“It was determined that someone in the Richland County Courthouse has had indirect contact with the Coronavirus. Therefore, out of an abundance of caution, I have ordered court operations at the Richland County Courthouse to be streamlined,” Beatty wrote in a message disseminated by the S.C. Judicial Branch around 4 p.m.

“I believe this decision to be in the best interest of litigants, attorneys, employees, and the public. The order shall remain in effect until further notice,” Beatty wrote.

Although Beatty didn’t specify what he meant by “indirect contact,” sources told The State Newspaper that an employee whose spouse was in quarantine for having contact with a suspected coronavirus victim had been coming to work for at least several days. That employee should not have been coming to work, the sources said.

Beatty also has ordered that “only essential personnel” report to the courthouse for work.

“Provisions shall be made for the acceptance of filings and payments, and transmission of necessary information to law enforcement and other government bodies,” Beatty’s order said.

Beatty’s latest order to postpone jury trials in Richland County takes a more aggressive stance than he did earlier Thursday in an effort to limit the number of events in courthouses where groups of people might come into close contact. It’s not unusual for more than 100 people to sit in a courtroom together waiting to see if they’re one of the 12 people chosen to be on a jury.

Earlier Thursday, Beatty issued a proclamation saying that judges should “liberally” consider requests by people reporting for state court jury duty to be excused “due to claimed illness or fear of exposure.”

And “any juror claiming to have flu-like symptoms should be excused from service until at least 14 days after the symptoms have abated,” Beatty wrote in the memo, sent to all state judges and 46 county clerks of court. There are 49 circuit court judges and 59 family court judges.

It will also be up to “the discretion of the trial judge” to hold a jury trial or convene a jury pool, Beatty wrote.

Beatty’s memo, which went out to all family and probate court judges around South Carolina, also said that:

▪ Judges may reschedule court dates. “However, if you believe it will be necessary to cancel court for a period greater than two weeks,” seek an order from the chief justice.

▪ “To the extent possible,” hearings that can be held by video may be held remotely.

▪ If a courthouse temporarily closes, there should be adequate signs posted directing the public to go to the nearest alternate location where payments and filings may be made.

“Under present conditions, courts can and should remain operational and are projected to be able to do so,” Beatty wrote.

On March 4, Beatty notified court staff around the state that the state’s Judicial Branch was “actively monitoring the development” of coronavirus.

Since then, 10 people have tested positive for coronavirus in South, including two confirmed by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and eight that are presumed positives.

“We are much engaged, and we are trying to make sure we are prepared,” said Ginny Jones, spokeswoman for the S.C. Judicial Branch.

This story was originally published March 12, 2020 at 1:40 PM.