HONOLULU — Hawaiʻi's chief justice has ordered that jury trials in the state be postponed until October due to a surge in COVID-19 cases.
Justice Mark Recktenwald said Monday in a statement that it is prudent to reduce the number of people congregating to protect court users and staff.
The seven-day average of new cases in Hawaiʻi hit 651 on Monday. The number of cases in the islands has jumped 82% in the past two weeks as the highly contagious delta variant spreads.
The order affects only jury trials.
The Judiciary said all other court proceedings will be held as scheduled. Many proceedings are held remotely over Zoom.
The Judiciary suspended jury trials early in the pandemic but resumed them in November 2020. It has adopted health screenings, temperature checks and reconfigured courtrooms to allow for social distancing.
