With so many businesses on hold while our nation is trying to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, what about the legal system? Our country is founded on a system of checks and balances from the federal level to the state and local level that must keep working. As communities and the public adjust to “social distancing,” our government is also adjusting to our current situation.
The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) has compiled a breakdown of how our legal system is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in their April 9, 2020, article “Criminal Justice System Responses to COVID-19.”
Here are five ways our courts are responding to COVID-19, according to the NCSL:
- “Restricting or ending jury trials
- Restricting entrances to courthouses
- Generally suspending in-person proceedings
- Granting extensions for court deadlines, including payment of fines
- Encouraging or requiring teleconferences and video conferences in lieu of hearings.”
Additionally, our local law enforcement agencies and correctional facilities have had to adjust their protocols. For more information on how they are adapting while limiting their personal exposure, click here.
We are all trying to find ways to stay safe while balancing our current situation. Advocate Capital, Inc., is thankful for all of the heroes that are making a difference and keeping us safe.
Susan Greene
Executive Client Manager
Photo Credit: Nirat Makjantuk