Marion Superior Court releases pandemic-related jury service PSA 

Just months after the Marion Superior Court commenced in-person jury trials after a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the court has released a public service announcement to better inform prospective jurors about newly implemented safety procedures.

The public service announcement may be viewed here.

The Marion Superior Courts in late August announced that major felony trials would resume, while low-level felony, misdemeanor and civil jury trials would resume in early September.

“While the Court recognizes that jury service may cause an additional burden for those called to serve during this time, the Court asks all prospective jurors to understand that the right to trial by jury is one of the cornerstones of our democracy. The participation of prospective jurors is one of the most important civic duties required of our citizens,” the court said in a Tuesday press release.

Major felony trials requiring a larger jury pool are being held at the Marion Superior Court Traffic Court, 8115 E. Washington St. The change in venue is in order to adhere to social distancing guidelines presented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as public health best practices.

All lower felony, misdemeanor and civil trials will continue to be held in the downtown City-County Building, 200 E. Washington St. Jurors are requested to pay close attention to their summonses to ensure they arrive at the correct location, the court said.

Additionally, jurors received information in their summons to notify them of additional processes that the court is undertaking in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Those processes include:

• assigned seating to account for maximum social distancing.
• required face coverings (for those who do not have their own, one will be provided for them).
• individual hand sanitizers and hand sanitizer stations spread around the facilities.
• deep cleaning of courtroom facilities.

“Additionally, prospective jurors who have been diagnosed by a licensed physician as having coronavirus in the last 30 days; are actively caring for a family member or loved one who has tested positive for coronavirus; or are in self-quarantine status for the date they’ve been summonsed are asked to notify the Jury Pool Coordinator regarding their service,” the press release says.