Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Mike Randolph issued an emergency order on Thursday, Sept. 2, extending the time for COVID-19 safeguards in all courts.

Emergency Administrative Order 22  gives individual judges discretion to postpone jury trials scheduled through Oct. 8.

In a previous order entered on Aug. 5, the Chief Justice gave trial judges discretion to postpone jury trials scheduled through Sept. 10.

The Chief Justice said in the order issued Thursday, “Because there has been no discernible reduction in the number of COVID-19 cases reported daily by the  Mississippi Department of Health since Emergency Administrative Order-21 was filed, in  my capacity as chief administrative officer of all courts in the state, I find that Emergency Administrative Order 21 should be extended.”

The order issued on Thursday  leaves in effect other safety provisions reimplemented a month ago, including using teleconferencing, videoconferencing and electronic filing to limit in-person contact in courts, and allowing felony plea hearings, felony sentencing hearings and probation violation hearings to be conducted remotely by way of interactive audiovisual equipment.

A copy of the Sept. 2 order is at this link: https://courts.ms.gov/appellatecourts/docket/sendPDF.php?f=700_556457.pdf&c=92966&a=N&s=2.