No jury trials until March in Lehigh County

There will be no jury trials at the Lehigh County Courthouse until at least the end of February, under an updated judicial emergency order intended to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

In an order posted Thursday, President Judge Edward Reibman said civil and criminal jury trials are suspended until Feb. 28. Jury trials resumed over the summer after being suspended at the start of the pandemic, with precautions including socially distanced jurors and plexiglas barriers throughout courtrooms.

Only two criminal jury trials have been held since March, including one homicide case that ended in a mistrial.

Under the updated order, hearings for nonincarcerated defendants in Lehigh County’s magisterial district courts are suspended until at least the end of January, as are civil hearings and summary trials.

Many county court proceedings will continue to be held remotely, the order states. The postponement will not affect time limits under rules guaranteeing criminal defendants a speedy trial.

For court proceedings that must be conducted in person, there’s a limit of 25 people, including court staff, per courtroom. Only 10 people are permitted in district judges’ courtrooms.

The Dec. 18 sheriff ’s sale is also being postponed. Lehigh County’s order comes several days after Philadelphia courts suspended all jury trials until the end of January due to the pandemic.

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