What will we write about when all the courts have closed?

We are rapidly on the way to finding out, especially in the federal system. Here’s a summary of recent federal district court orders on jury trials:

Eastern District of Arkansas: Civil and criminal jury trials scheduled before January 15, 2021 are continued to a later date.

District of Colorado: Civil and criminal jury trials scheduled before January 8, 2021 are continued to a later date.

Northern District of Illinois: Civil and criminal jury trials suspended indefinitely.

Central District of Illinois: Civil and criminal jury trials suspended and shall be reset for a date after January 25, 2021.

Southern District of Illinois: Civil and criminal jury trials set through January 24, 2021 are cancelled and will be reset.

Northern District of Indiana: All jury trials scheduled to begin before January 29, 2021, are continued and will be rescheduled by the presiding judge “unless the presiding judge, in their discretion, determines on a case-by-case basis that a trial should proceed as scheduled.”

Southern District of Indiana: All “in person jury trials “are continued until at least January 25, 2021. “Jury trials conducted by video teleconference” may proceed upon motion and/or Order of the presiding judge.

District of Kansas: All criminal and civil jury trials are suspended until January 4, 2021.

Eastern District of Kentucky: Civil and criminal jury trials set through January 15, 2021 are “continued generally.” However, “any judge may, in his or her discretion, determine that the need to conduct a jury trial during this period outweighs the public health concerns addressed herein.”

Western District of Kentucky: No jury trial shall be scheduled to begin before January 3, 2021.

District of Maryland: All in-court proceedings are suspended.

District of Minnesota: All criminal and civil jury trials set for 2020 are continued. All “civil jury trial-specific deadlines” are also continued. Trial judges may approve exceptions.

Western District of Missouri: All criminal and civil jury trials set before January 4, 2021 are continued,

District of Nebraska: All civil and criminal jury trials set on or before December 1, 2020 are continued.

District of Nevada: All jury trials are postponed pending further notice.

Northern District of Oklahoma: All civil trials (the order does not distinguish between jury and bench trials) through November 30, 2020 are continued, but all other scheduling order deadlines remain in effect.

Western District of Pennsylvania: All civil and criminal trials scheduled to begin before February 8, 2021 are continued. “Notwithstanding the above, the Court intends on an initial basis to conduct one or more civil jury trials in each Division of the Court at one or more junctures occurring during the period of November 2020 through January 2021 in order to facilitate and assess the safe and effective implementation of operational protocols for jury trial operations. Such civil jury trials will be scheduled by the presiding judicial officer after consultation with the undersigned and shall not involve any detained participants.”

Western District of Texas: All civil and criminal jury trials set before November 30, 2020 are continued. However, divisions may opt out. (All eyes are on the Waco Division.)

District of Utah: All civil and criminal jury trials are continued through February 1, 2021.

Eastern District of Virginia: Civil jury trials are suspended indefinitely. No criminal jury trials will be held before January 19, 2021.

Eastern District of Washington: Civil and criminal jury trials are suspended for the rest of 2020.

Western District of Wisconsin: Civil and criminal jury trials are suspended through January 31, 2021.