MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - Vermont has extended until the new year its emergency rules for how courts operate in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The judicial emergency declared in March means that jury trials are not being held and many court hearings are taking place online or over the phone, the court said. People must go through a health screening before entering a courthouse, wear a facial covering and stay at least 6 feet away from others.
“The Court has extended the judicial emergency to January 1, 2021 in recognition of the fact that the ongoing and dynamic nature of the pandemic will continue to impact court operations and to require changes to court operations and rules,” the Vermont Supreme Court said when it announced the extension last week.
The court also made changes to allow individuals participating in proceedings other than hearings access to court buildings.
Vermont reported four new cases of the coronavirus on Sunday for a statewide total since the pandemic began of 1,557. The total number of deaths remained at 58.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.