Extension of the Temporary Suspension of Jury Trials

The United States District Court for the Central District of California announces that the temporary suspension of all civil and criminal jury trials, which was implemented on January 3, 2022, has been extended.  All jury trials are suspended through and including February 28, 2022.

On January 3, 2022, in response to the alarming surge of COVID-19 cases in the Central District of California largely due to the spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant, a three-week suspension of all jury trials was implemented.  Since then, the number of COVID-19 cases within Central District of California has continued to rise.  Over the past 14 days, the number of reported COVID-19 cases within the counties that make up the Central District of California has substantially increased, as has the number of suspected and confirmed COVID-19 cases reported by employees of the United States Courthouses and Probation and Pretrial Services Offices in the Central District of California.  Accordingly, to protect public health and safety, as well as ensure the continuous performance of essential functions and operations of the Court, upon a majority vote of the Court’s Executive Committee, the temporary suspension of jury trials has been extended through February 28, 2022.

The Court continues to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic as it evolves and will provide updates concerning the Court’s operations as adjustments are made.

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Kiry K. Gray
District Court Executive/Clerk of Court
January 19, 2022