County preparing courtrooms for resumption of in person jury trials
Oakland County administration is seeking board of commissioners approval to spend nearly $70,000 on upgrades to seven courtrooms to prepare them for in person jury trials during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
As of now, all circuit and probate court courtrooms are closed for in person jury trials due to the pandemic, but are scheduled to resume later this year.
The funding would be used to install plexiglass barriers and social distancing floor decals in six circuit court courtrooms and one probate court courtroom. The project would also involve reducing seating and moving tables to further promote social distancing in accordance with state and federal workplace safety guidelines.
The board will consider approving the funding at its virtual meeting on Thursday.
The project has been competitively bid out with contractors providing the furnishings, materials, and services needed for the project. The contractors include Sterling Height-based Phoenix Cabinets and Top, who will construct and install the plexiglass barriers.
Costs include $58,410 for furnishing and materials, $7,151 for installation and labor, and $4,278 for contingency costs.
Oakland County has
also released a video on juror safety, which can be viewed here: https:// drive.google.com/file/ d/1bR8Zk3u3XvNwRW xX9V-1IbGzJo4GYLxa/ view.
Reopening criteria
Courts across the state are following criteria established by the State Court Administrative Office to know if they can hold in person activities, including jury trials. As courts meet certain criteria, they are put into one of three Return To Full Capacity (RTFC) phases, which are based on a community’s COVID-19 case and positivity testing rates.
To move from Phase 1 to Phase 2, a court must show a 14-day downward trajectory in cases or test positivity rate and a 7-day percent positivity rate of 15 percent
or less. To move from Phase 2 to Phase 3, a court must show a 14-day downward trajectory in cases or test positivity rate and a 7-day percent positivity rate of 5 percent or less. Phases two and three warrant in person activity.
A court can also move backwards. It will move from Phase 3 to 2 when there has been a 14-day upward trajectory in both cases and test positivity rates. A court will move from Phase 2 to Phase 1 when there is an upward trajectory of cases or test positivity rate and a positivity rate of 15 percent or higher.
As court moves from one phase to another, the individual courts must submit a local administrative order to its local health department and the State Court Administrative Office
for approval. These orders confirm what phase a court is in and what measures a court is taking to ensure public and employee safety.
In Oakland County, the circuit and probate courts as well as the and district courts have submitted their local administrative Phase 2 orders to the county and state, all of which have been approved.
Before in person jury trials can resume, a court must also submit a juror safety local administrative order, which establishes parameters for in person jury proceedings during the pandemic.
Currently, only the Oakland County Circuit Court and 52-1 District Court in Novi have submitted that paperwork, which was approved in June and August respectively.