Jury trials in Cleveland County have once again been pushed back due to coronavirus safety measures.
Chief Justice Cheri Beasley ordered for courts across the state to suspend not only jury trials another month, but also from being open for any non-essential, in-person court proceedings until Jan. 14.
In Cleveland County, the District Attorney’s office was gearing up to start back to trial cases on Jan. 18, but with the most recent shutdown the process is being pushed until February.
“Like for everyone else, it is an inconvenience,” said Cleveland County District Attorney Mike Miller.
Beasley’s decision comes after a surge in COVID-19 cases across the state, doubling the number of counties categorized as “red” or “orange” by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.