Cobb Superior Court Plans To Resume Jury Trials

COBB COUNTY, GA — The Superior Court of Cobb County is set to resume jury trials in the coming months, according to an order issued Tuesday.

Cobb Superior Court Chief Judge Robert Leonard said in the order that court officials should prepare to summon jurors for trial weeks beginning April 19 and after.

The order also nullifies his previous order from December, which scaled the court system's services back to essential functions only in a virtual format.

Leonard said in the order that the reduction in COVID-19 cases since the holiday surge contributed to the decision to bring back jury trials. However, he acknowledged that these plans could change should the county see another surge in coronavirus cases.

"The undersigned recognizes the necessary burden that Order placed on courts and litigants seeking access to justice, that were unable to move their matters since December. The undersigned acknowledges that not all courts have the capabilities to stand up a totally virtual court and that certain classes of cases cannot be adequately handled in a virtual format," the order reads. "The undersigned has monitored COVID-19 infection rates in our community, and it appears that those rates have dropped back down to the levels they were at before Thanksgiving."