Des Moines, Iowa — The Iowa Supreme Court has issued an order postponing all criminal jury trials until April 20 and all civil jury trials until May 4 unless the jury has been sworn in.
Court officials tell us the postponements are to protect public safety by mitigating the impact of coronavirus/COVID-19. Clerk of court offices throughout the state will remain open.
Chief Justice Susan Christensen says that they are very concerned about balancing the need to keep courthouses open with the safety of jurors and everyone who uses Iowa courthouses.
She says, “We have heard concerns from judges, attorneys, and jurors about court procedures that require large groups of people to gather in the courthouse or a courtroom so we completed a comprehensive review of what other states have done in response to coronavirus/COVID-19. The procedures in this order keep Iowa courts open to the fullest possible extent while protecting the public and our employees by giving judges the tools and flexibility that they need.”
For more information you can visit https://www.iowacourts.gov/announcements/supreme-court-postpones-all-new-jury-trials-keeps-clerk-of-court-offices-open/ or call your clerk of court’s office.
