Toowoomba courts to welcome back jury trials by end of February

COVID-19 restrictions had put jury trials on hold with only judge alone trials heard but jurors are expected to be required by month’s end.

Jurors will be required to return to Toowoomba’s Supreme and District Courts as of later this month.

Toowoomba residents holding jury panel notices could be required to report to the city’s court later this month.

Prospective jurors were given a reprieve from having to turn up to court when jury trials were suspended throughout Queensland due to COVID-19 restrictions and only judge alone trials were set down.

No trials at all were heard during the current Toowoomba District Court sittings of the past two weeks.

However, Chief Justice Catherine Holmes AC and Chief Judge Brian Devereaux SC on Friday announced that jury trials would resume from February 21.

“On February 21, 2022, the Supreme and District Courts will resume jury trials, beginning with a limited number of trials of short duration (five days length or less),” the judges announced in a joint statement.

“Jurors will need to be masked when not eating and drinking, temperature checks will be conducted, and two reserve jurors will be empanelled for each trial.

“Any increase in the number of trials taking place will depend on the prevailing conditions and the effectiveness of the measures taken to ensure jury safety and confidence.

“It is not anticipated that trials estimated to be of a longer duration than five days will resume before April 1, 2022.”