Civil Jury Trial Protocols – Orange County Superior Court

Orange County Superior Court opened for in-person Civil jury trails September 1, 2020. The Court has adopted the following safety protocols.

Answering ready for trial

Trial calls are remotely conducted
Cases will answer ready for trial pursuant to the Process to Commence Civil Jury Trial published on August 20, 2020
There are limited number of courtrooms for Civil jury trials to allow for social distancing

Courthouse Access and Safety

Everyone MUST wear a face covering at all times inside the courthouses
- Masks will be provided for those without one
Everyone must maintain 6 feet social distance at all times
Admission to courthouses is limited to maintain social distancing
Attorneys and jurors with badges may bypass triage and go directly to weapons screening
Attorneys to provide names of parties, witnesses, court reporters, and interpreters to the courtroom a day prior to their attendance
Hand sanitizer is available at several locations
Plexiglass has been installed in courtrooms as needed
Courtrooms are cleaned every evening and during lunch breaks when possible
Cleaning supplies and gloves are available upon request

Jury Selection

Civil jury panels will include 40 prospective jurors per panel
Modified jury selection:
- Jury selection might occur in a different courtroom than where the jury trial will be conducted
  - Voir dire of all jurors will be done in one courtroom where space allows
    - If space is limited, voir dire may be done in rounds. Live broadcasting will allow each round to see and hear all voir dire questioning
  - To maintain social distancing, jurors will be seated throughout the jury box and gallery to maintain social distancing

Public Access and Livestream

Limited seating available; please discuss courtroom capacity with the judicial officer
Live streaming via YouTube available
- Jurors will not be displayed at any time

Witness Testimony

Witnesses may be allowed to remove their face covering or use party-provided clear face shield during testimony
- Witnesses will usually testify from the witness stand
- Interpreters should consider utilizing equipment to support social distancing. Interpreters will not be allowed to stand closer than 6 feet to the parties.

Exhibit Presentation

Trial and exhibit notebooks still must be delivered to the department pursuant to Local Rule 317
Disposable gloves will be provided upon request to handle original exhibit items

GETTING LEGAL HELP

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