Jury trials in Saskatchewan postponed until the end of April due to COVID-19

The Saskatchewan Court of Queen’s Bench is postponing jury trials scheduled to start in April.

Jury trials for the first three months of 2021 had previously been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a court directive, Chief Justice Martel Popescul said they are taking steps to ensure the safety of everyone while ensuring access to the justice system.

“Jury trials postponed as a consequence of this directive will be spoken to in court or by video or audio conference on the date the matter was originally set for trial,” he said.

The accused in criminal trials can make arrangements for re-election to trial by judge alone, in which case the trial may proceed in the scheduled time period, according to the directive.

All other jury trials will be adjourned to a later date after April 30, with the court giving priority to rescheduling those cases.

Popescul said the court will continue to monitor the situation and update the directive as needed.

1:35 Saskatchewan courts suspend some operations as coronavirus cases rise