TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – In part of what the Florida Supreme Court describes as a “major historical shift,” five judicial circuits -- including two in Northeast Florida -- have been tapped for a pilot program aimed at using remote technology to conduct civil jury trials.
The program comes as Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles Canady has suspended in-person civil and criminal jury trials through at least July 2 because of concerns about spreading the novel coronavirus.
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Canady last month issued an order that set up the pilot program, with the Supreme Court on Wednesday announcing the five judicial circuits that will take part.
They are the 4th Judicial Circuit, made up of Duval, Clay and Nassau counties; the 7th Judicial Circuit, made up of St. Johns, Flagler, Putnam and Volusia counties; the 9th Judicial Circuit, made up of Orange and Osceola counties; the 11th Judicial Circuit in Miami-Dade County; and the 20th Judicial Circuit, made up of Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee counties.
While jury trials have been suspended throughout the state, judges are using online technology and conference calls to conduct many types of proceedings.
The announcement Wednesday indicated that a workgroup that has been looking at the issue also could make suggestions for greater future use of the technology.
“The move toward remote ‘virtual’ hearings is a major historical shift in state court operations, which have relied heavily on in-person proceedings in the 175 years since Florida became a state in 1845,” the announcement said. “Canady also has asked the workgroup to make suggestions for remote procedures and other changes that can continue even after the pandemic is over, where beneficial to litigants and other justice stakeholders.”