LOS ANGELES (KNX) — Federal jury trials in Los Angeles, as well as Santa Ana and Riverside, have been suspended for at least three weeks due to the rapid spread of COVID cases in Southern California.
“There is currently an alarming surge of COVID-19 cases nationwide and in the Central District of California largely due to a new variant of the virus that causes COVID-19—Omicron,” said District Court Clerk Kiry Gray in a statement.
There has been an increase of suspected and confirmed COVID-19 cases within the district’s courthouses, Gray added.
“Given the increased rate of transmission of COVID-19 in the Central District of California due to the Omicron variant, conducting jury trials would place court personnel, attorneys, parties, and prospective jurors at undue risk,” Gray said, adding that a temporary suspension of jury trials is “necessary” to protect public health.
The suspension will remain in effect through Jan. 24 and may be extended as necessary, according to Gray.
The suspension is a setback for the court, which is attempting to clear a backlog of cases that built up over the pandemic, according to The Los Angeles Times. California’s Central District is the most populous federal court district in the nation with 20 million residents.
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