SAN PATRICIO, Texas — Many court rooms all over the nation hit the brakes when the coronavirus pandemic started last year, including courtrooms in San Patricio County.
Now, as coronavirus cases across the Coastal Bend start to decrease, courtrooms are looking to get back to normal.
"We've been working with the judges, constantly looking at plans and finding them, trying to make this the very safest we possibly can," said Dr. James Mobley, the Health Authority for San Patricio County.
He said the county is working on new guidelines to allow jury trials to resume safely.
"Number one: that everybody's safe and number two: again, that all parties involved received due process," Dr. Mobley added.
So, when a resident gets the call for 'jury duty,' you can expect a change in scenery as jury trials move out of the courthouse, and somewhere with a little more room to socially distance.
"The jury trials as I understand it, they're at the fairgrounds so that they can have social distancing."
Once the jury is selected, and it's time to try the case, jurors are guaranteed social distanced seating.
"Putting the jury spaced out normally where the gallery would be," said Dr. Mobley.
Dr. Mobley said district courts resumed only a while ago since implementing new health measures and so far, there have been no problems reported.
For the latest updates on coronavirus in the Coastal Bend, click here.
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