COVID-19 halts grand jury application process
–This is the time of year that San Luis Obispo County starts the process of recruiting jurors for next year’s Grand Jury, but the Covid-19 virus has halted the application process.
Members of the current Grand Jury have agreed to hold over until Dec. 2020. The Grand Jury, normally a one-year commitment, selects it’s new jurors after applicants go through an initial application, interviews, and finally a lottery held in June. Jurors must go through intensive training before their real work begins. The Grand Jury submits reports with Findings, Recommendations, and Commendations no later than the end of its term to the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court.
Because of the Covid-19 virus, San Luis Superior Court Judge Duffy has asked current Grand Jury members to continue working on reports and present their reports after the dangers of the virus has passed. The jurors are reported to be meeting via Zoom while unable to assemble.
“This isn’t an ideal situation but the Grand Jury is a group of wonderful people who will do whatever it takes to get comprehensive reports to the public.” Says Lynlee Blackburn, 2019/2020 Grand Jury Foreperson.
For more information on the Grand Jury, see https://www.slo.courts.ca.gov/gi/jury-grandjury.htm.
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