The Maricopa County Clerk of Superior Court is not responsible for the content of external sites. If a person is sick, particularly with COVID-19 symptoms such as fever, coughing and trouble breathing, and has jury duty, they should call the jury administration office. Thank you for visiting the Maricopa County Clerk of Superior Court. Nicole Garcia, jury administrator, told The Republic that the court is encouraging people to fill out the jury questionnaire form online before coming in. Last year, the court created a "jury bot" to answer questions about serving. The protection of our rights and liberties is largely achieved through the teamwork of judge and jury who, working together in a common effort, put into practice the principles of our great heritage of freedom. Nogales, AZ 85628. Lisa Daniels is supposed to report for jury duty the first week of April. In Norfolk, Virginia, efforts to resume jury trials during the pandemic stalled recently because roughly nine out of 10 possible jurors weren’t showing up in court, The Virginian-Pilot reported. A link has been sent to your friend's email address. Everyone is allowed up to two.Â. The court is encouraging people to fill out the jury questionnaire form online before coming in to help the court with the pre-screening process. The bot will transfer them to someone in the jury administration office who can help. (Photo: Mark Henle/The Republic). A link has been sent to your friend's email address. LIVE Chat with Jury Administration Staff; 602-506-JURY (5879) Law Library and Resource Center LIVE Chat with Law Library staff; 602-506-7353; Directory of Local Libraries (Bibliotecas locales durante la COVID-19) Communications Office. Grand jury proceedings typically come early in the legal process and set the rest of a case in motion. Answers to Jurors’ Frequently Asked Questions During COVID-19 Q. Jury trials have been on hold for months, but Maricopa County Superior Court is preparing for their return. Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2020/12/07/maricopa-county-courts-suspend-jury-trials-civil-cases-until-february-joseph-welty/6480749002/, Apache Junction officer shot, hospitalized, Judge rips Arizona GOP, orders party to pay legal fees, 2 winning Powerball tickets in Ariz. have not been claimed, Some Arizona counties fall behind in vaccinating elders, Rice at wrong temperature in weekly restaurant inspections, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. If people who have jury duty are sick, particularly with COVID-19 symptoms such as fever, coughing and trouble breathing, they should call the jury administration office.Â, It is possible to ask for a postponement. Arizona has pioneered many successful jury reform measures, such as jurors being allowed to ask written questions of witnesses in the court; jurors being allowed to discuss evidence (in civil cases) during the course of the trial; juror note taking and juror notebooks in lengthy or complex trials; and supplemental pay for long trials. Suite 2200. Some jurors may need to sit in the gallery. The Judicial Branch of Arizona announced Monday that anyone who has been summoned to appear for potential jury duty selection no longer needs to do so and has fulfilled their service. To find out more about Facebook commenting please read the Conversation Guidelines and FAQs. We were shocked when he received a recorded message saying that he was NOT excused (that his reason wasn't accepted! Email request for public records; 602-506-7032; COVID … ), but then a few hours later received both an e-mail and another call saying he WAS excused. The judge can fine the person up to $500 and most of the time will require them to complete jury service. A portrait of jury administrator Nicole Garcia in the jury assembly room on June 3, 2020, at Maricopa County Superior Court in Phoenix. Before, those issues were often addressed when the juror was already at court. Tim Engleby, the central region commander for Judicial Branch Security, said security is checking every person's temperature when they walk inside. The jury assembly room, which normally holds more than 800 people, will be limited to 30. "Social distancing remains critical for reducing virus exposure, and the last few months provided us ongoing opportunities to consult local public health authorities for guidance on how best to safely resume operations that cannot currently be held virtually, such as jury trials," Welty said in a statement. If they do not respond by the third summons, they will be required to appear in front of a judge and explain why they were not able to appear for jury duty. This is a test to see whether we can improve the experience for you. (Photo: Mark Henle/The Republic). “People have to understand that it's mitigation and it's not elimination,” says infectious diseases specialist Dr. John Swartzberg, who served as a scientific adviser for the American Board of Trial Advocates’ guide to conducting civil trials during the pandemic . If they do not respond by the third summons, they will be required to appear in front of a judge and explain why they were not able to appear for jury duty. The Jury Assembly Room is located at the end of the hall on the right, directly across from Courtroom 3. Here's what it will be like under COVID-19 (Arizona Republic, June 12, 2020) Authorizing Limitation of Court Operations During a Public Health Emergency and Transition to Resumption of Certain Operations (A.O. COVID-19 is creating changes like never before. The judge determines the law to be applied in the case while the jury decides the facts. Physical Address: 2160 N. Congress Drive. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. If a person would like to wear gloves while inside the courthouse, there is a supply at the security lines. Welcome to our new and improved comments, which are for subscribers only. Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. State law has very few reasons to excuse a person from jury service. COVID-19 is creating changes like never before. To find out more about Facebook commenting please read the Conversation Guidelines and FAQs. If you see comments in violation of our community guidelines, please report them. Hand santizer in a courtroom, June 3, 2020, at Maricopa County Superior Court, 175 W. Madison Street, Phoenix. © 2021 www.azcentral.com. Flash sale: Get unlimited digital access today for only $39 for a year. The Arizona Supreme Court, anticipating that many calls to jury duty would be ignored, has reduced the number of potential jurors that can be struck by each side to two, from the usual six. PHOENIX (AP) - Arizona courts are entering new legal waters by exploring innovative procedures and technology such as videoconferencing to hold jury trials during the coronavirus pandemic. Typed comments will be lost if you are not logged in. At the Maricopa County Superior Court, there are signs outside asking people who are  experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 to not enter. Failure to report to jury duty is a crime in most places. All Phoenix residents are obligated by state law to serve as a juror unless they: Are not a United States citizen; Are under 18 years of age; Have been convicted of a … The court has made numerous changes, including decreasing the number of people allowed in the jury assembly room and not using deliberation rooms. People can alert the court to a hardship or if they do not have time to commit to a certain length of service. JURY DUTY DURING COVID-19 Click HERE to see what courts are doing to keep jurors safe to serve during COVID . Reach criminal justice reporter Lauren Castle at Lauren.Castle@gannett.com. Capacity of the jury assembly room has gone from 811 to 30 because of social distancing guidelines. You would need to provide proof of income, financial statements, and your previous year’s tax returns to the court along with your request. It is possible to ask for a postponement. (Photo: Mark Henle/The Republic). People are required by law to appear if they receive a jury summons. All rights reserved. Please be polite. Called up for jury duty? (Photo: Mark Henle/The Republic). No. Let friends in your social network know what you are reading about. Let friends in your social network know what you are reading about. Welty's order also sets rules for criminal trials. All criminal jury trials in Superior Court will be held in the South Court tower. No more than two criminal jury trials may proceed at one time on any trial court floor in the South Court tower, and no more than one jury shall be empaneled per day.Â. ยง 21-334). Yes. Seats are spaced six feet apart and there are signs posted in the room to remind people to practice social distancing. Disposal pencils are now given out in the jury assembly room, June 3, 2020, at Maricopa County Superior Court, 175 W. Madison Street, Phoenix. Therefore, some juries will be utilizing unused courtrooms for deliberations. All courts in Arizona are requiring people to wear masks to enter. It includes requiring anyone who enters the courthouse to wear a mask and limiting the number of people allowed in each courtroom. You are now exiting the Maricopa County Clerk of Superior Court. A portrait of jury administrator Nicole Garcia in the jury assembly room on June 3, 2020, at Maricopa County Superior Court in Phoenix. The courtrooms have signs in the gallery alerting where people can sit. You do not need a Facebook profile to participate. Follow her on Twitter @Lauren_Castle. ... backing the re-election of a hard-line supporter as chair of the party in Arizona. Employers Preventing Jury Service/Jury Pay State law ( A.R.S. Follow her on Twitter @Lauren_Castle. A link has been posted to your Facebook feed. Jurors are to report to the Jury Assembly Room. Like in many offices across the area, the court is limiting the number of people who can ride the elevator to four at a time. 2020-120) Pima County Superior Court Cleaning During COVID-19; Pima County Jury Service Update (April 3, 2020) All rights reserved. This will help the court with the pre-screening process. The Maricopa County Superior Court is looking into how virtual juries could be used in civil cases during the COVID-19 ... Arizona courts have made ... were originally summoned for jury duty. The court has made several changes to protect juries during the pandemic. Please have your Jury summons with you. At the conclusion of the grand jury proceedings, the judge and jury clerk join the prosecutor and the grand jury foreman to hear the indictments, set bonds, and schedule arraignments. A person is able to fax or email the jury office their excuse for not being able to serve before their service date. All requests to be excused from jury duty must be submitted in writing. Superior Court Presiding Judge Joseph Welty issued the order Monday in response to the public health emergency.Â, "Public health, hospital administrators and researchers are all indicating that the current increases will be exacerbated by people coming together during the holidays and that currently stressed hospital resources may be overwhelmed unless additional mitigation measures are put in place," Welty said.Â. Please call the jury office at (520) 724 … According to Pima County Superior Court officials, suspension of jury trials in the county ends on March 31, unless extended or terminated early by another administrative order from the state. The court is working with the county Department of Public Health to determine when new juries should begin. The empanelment of juries for civil trials will be suspended through February. (Photo: Mark Henle/The Republic). Phoenix United States District Court Sandra Day O’Connor Courthouse 401 W. Washington Street, SPC 2 Phoenix, AZ 85003 602-322-7278 or 800-736-7322 (long distance) Fax: 602-322-7275 Do I still have to come to jury duty? If potential jurors have questions about the coronavirus, they can ask to speak to a "live agent." Please be polite. You can mail or fax your request to the appropriate courthouse below or click here to submit your request via our website. Upcoming Jury Trials. You can ask the bot questions like: What attire is allowed when serving on a jury? People can alert the court to a hardship or if they do not have time to commit to a certain length of service. The court will continue to follow the advice and recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Court officials are hopeful the rest of the system will start moving again. Court officials say they've developed a plan to balance individuals' right to a trial and a jury of their peers with efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19. Anyone coming into a courthouse is required to wear a mask.Â. A person is able to fax or email the jury office their excuse for not being able to serve before their service date. People going into the Maricopa Superior Court may only attend an in-person hearing if they are permitted by the judge or a party, victim, lawyer assigned to the case, witness in the case or a juror. Serving on juries will be different than it has been in the past. Jury deliberation rooms are not able to meet social distancing requirements due to their size. § 21-236 ) prohibits an employer from discharging or in any manner discriminating against an employee for taking time off to serve as a juror if the employee, prior to taking time off, gives reasonable notice to the employer of the requirement to serve as a juror. Support local journalism. If you cannot do jury service because of coronavirus (COVID-19), you should ask to change the date. Law enforcement, couriers, people picking up a signed order or conducting business with the Clerk's Office can enter the courthouse. Maricopa County Superior Court is suspending civil jury trials into next year and limiting the number of criminal jury trials because of rising COVID-19 numbers. Have thoughts about Arizona's legal system? There are markers on the floors throughout the courthouse reminding people to maintain social distancing. Failure to attend jury duty may subject you to penalties provided by law (A.R.S. If serving on a jury and missing several days or weeks of work would cause a serious financial burden on you, you may be able to get out of jury duty. For more stories that matter, subscribe to azcentral.com. Reach criminal justice reporter Lauren Castle at Lauren.Castle@gannett.com. Maricopa County Superior Court officials have developed a plan to balance individuals' right to a trial with efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19. People are required by law to appear if they receive a jury summons. State law offers very few reasons to excuse a person from jury service. People have two chances to respond to their summons. If they do not respond, they will receive a third summons. You will need to register before adding a comment. Nogales, AZ 85621. will be immediately completed by a COVID-19 Response Team member, a Sheriff’s Deputy or court staff; who will then contact the Jury Department at (330) 643-8173 and provide the completed form to the Jury Department within an hour. Welcome to our new and improved comments, which are for subscribers only. Typed comments will be lost if you are not logged in. They can fax or email the jury office their excuse for not being able to serve before their service date. Filed Under: Coronavirus News, jury duty, Sacramento News SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – A Sacramento man is saying no to jury duty after being summoned to show up in a courtroom during … Fax: 520-375-7703. In the state court system, jury trials may resume on May 1, 2021, if a downward trend in COVID-19 infection rates continues. The court is encouraging potential jurors to check in with their phones. The judge can fine the person up to $500 and most of the time will require them to complete jury service.Â. Watch the video above for the full story. Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2020/06/12/maricopa-county-called-up-jury-duty-what-like-under-covid-19-social-distancing/5319508002/, People going into the Maricopa Superior Court, Apache Junction officer shot, hospitalized, Judge rips Arizona GOP, orders party to pay legal fees, 2 winning Powerball tickets in Ariz. have not been claimed, Some Arizona counties fall behind in vaccinating elders, Rice at wrong temperature in weekly restaurant inspections, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. The grand jury foreman is present to sign indictments and to be physically present when the judge returns to hear the grand jury returns. Punishment can include fines and, in some cases, short jail sentences. It's OK to disagree with someone's ideas, but personal attacks, insults, threats, hate speech, advocating violence and other violations can result in a ban. Capacity of the jury assembly room has gone from 811 to 30 because of social distancing guidelines. The public can listen to proceedings by phone. A link has been posted to your Facebook feed. You do not need a Facebook profile to participate. A person has two chances to respond to their summons. Arizona law ... Q. I am under quarantine. Some hearings, the most obvious being jury trials, cannot be conducted remotely, but take place in COVID secure buildings. You can also ask to be excused from jury service if you’ve done it in the last 2 years. COVID-19 Procedures with Jury Duty Thank goodness my husband was excused when he told them he was over 80 years old with underlying conditions. For more stories that matter, subscribe to azcentral.com. ... mental or physical condition that causes you to be incapable of performing jury service. If you see comments in violation of our community guidelines, please report them. Grand juries have already started. People have started to receive summonses. Jury duty is returning for residents in Sacramento County. Effective Wednesday, March 25, 2020, the Judicial Branch of Arizona in Maricopa County will prohibit physical access to all Superior Court buildings through April 8. The juror will be contacted by the Jury Department to re-schedule their appearance for a later date. Mailing Address: P.O. Social distancing will be maintained in each courtroom. After passing through Security, please turn to the left and turn right, around the corner. The court is eliminating "shared touch spaces" as much as possible by letting potential jurors keep the pencils they use, having people ask for forms instead of leaving them out in a pile, and taking certain items out of the cafeteria area. This is a test to see whether we can improve the experience for you. Even with all the precautions in place, jury duty doesn’t come with a guarantee against COVID-19. A portrait of Judge Suzanne Cohen, between cases, in her courtroom, June 3, 2020, at Maricopa County Superior Court, 175 W. Madison Street, Phoenix. If they do not respond, they will receive a third summons. You will need to register before adding a comment. Have thoughts about Arizona's legal system? Everyone is allowed up to two. The number of COVID-19 cases reported by the state last week broke records for the highest numbers since the beginning of the pandemic, and hospital intensive care unit capacity has reached 92%. Many courts are asking people who are not required to come to court to please stay home. A local woman who has been called for jury duty has concerns about serving during the COVID-19, coronavirus outbreak. Officials say the Pima County court system has continued to hear cases and proceedings throughout the pandemic within the confines of federal, state and Arizona Supreme Court public health guidelines. Flash sale: Get unlimited digital access today for only $39 for a year. It's OK to disagree with someone's ideas, but personal attacks, insults, threats, hate speech, advocating violence and other violations can result in a ban. Maricopa County Superior Court is suspending civil jury trials into next year and limiting the number of criminal jury trials because of COVID-19. “We have a constitutional obligation to timely address matters before our court that must be balanced with our ability to safely prevent the continued spread of COVID-19," Judge Joseph C. Welty said in a statement to The Republic. Phone: 520-375-7700. Pima County courts suspend jury duty until end of March amid COVID-19 March 16, 2020, 10:28 PM Pima County courts are suspending jury duty until the end of March in reaction to COVID … Box 1265. Buses driving the jurors from the parking garage to court will only hold 14 people. Eighth Judicial District trials were paused for 32 weeks due to COVID-19. © 2021 www.azcentral.com. You will be redirected to the destination page below in 0 seconds... https://superiorcourt.maricopa.gov/Jury/. They can fax or email the jury office their excuse for not being able to serve before their service date. "They are really helping us in our efforts as well," she said.