Alberta jury trials to resume next month at offsite locations due to COVID-19

A courtroom at the Edmonton Law Courts building, in Edmonton on Friday, June 28, 2019. The Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta says jury selection and jury trials will resume next month. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

EDMONTON — The Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta says jury selection and jury trials will resume next month, but most won't be in courtrooms.

The court says on its website that proceedings will start Sept. 8, after they were postponed in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Most courtrooms and jury deliberation rooms, including the Edmonton Law Courts and the Calgary Courts Centre, are not designed to ensure adequate physical distancing for everyone.

The court says the trials will, for the most part, be held offsite.

It says approximately 12 locations across Alberta may host the trials in halls, hotels and community centres.

Jury summonses are currently being prepared for trials starting in September and will be issued shortly.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 6, 2020