COVID-19 Update: Chester County Courts to Re-Open for Non Jury Trials

The Chester County Court of Common Pleas has announced that the court plans to re-open in June for non-jury trials. This means that the courts in Chester County will likely begin handling preliminary hearings, pre-trial conferences, plea hearings, sentencing hearings, and possibly even bench trials. The courts have not yet, however, announced plans to resume jury trials due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and difficulties in social distancing both during jury selection and the criminal trial itself.

Philadelphia criminal courts have not yet announced solid plans as to when normal operations will resume, but the courts have begun making preparations to resume some non-emergency hearings in early June. It is likely that jury trials will be delayed for the time being in Philadelphia, as well, but the courts are making some progress in re-opening.

Read Chester County’s Order