Georgia Jury Health
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(a) The right to trial by jury shall remain inviolate, except that the court shall render judgment without the verdict of a jury in all civil cases where no issuable defense is filed and where a jury is not demanded in writing by either party. In criminal cases, the defendant shall have a public and speedy trial by an impartial jury; and the jury shall be the judges of the law and the facts.
(b) A trial jury shall consist of 12 persons; but the General Assembly may prescribe any number, not less than six, to constitute a trial jury in courts of limited jurisdiction and in superior courts in misdemeanor cases.
(c) The General Assembly shall provide by law for the selection and compensation of persons to serve as grand jurors and trial jurors.
—Constitution of the State of Georgia Bill of Rights; Article 1, Section 1, Paragraph XI
Legal Resources
- Constitution: Constitution of the State of Georgia
- Code/Statutes: Georgia Code
- Legislature: Georgia General Assembly
- Judiciary: Supreme Court of Georgia, Georgia Judicial Gateway
- U.S. District Courts: Middle District of Georgia, Northern District of Georgia, Southern District of Georgia
- Rules of Criminal Procedure: Georgia Code Title 17. Criminal Procedure
- Rules of Civil Procedure: Georgia Code Title 9. Civil Practice
Georgia Jury News
As expected, Georgia Supreme Court Chief Judge Harold Melton has suspended new trials by jury statewide until AT LEAST February 2021.
Amanda Clark Palmer, media chair of the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, is sounding the alarm that prosecutors are using the pandemic as an excuse “to advance goals they have had for a while and make these permanent changes that will have a drastic impact on people accused of crimes.”
View more Georgia jury-related news.
COVID-19 Information
State Court Rules by Jury Type
Status as of 23 December 2020.
| Criminal Trial by Jury | New jury trials suspended until AT LEAST 1 February 2021. In-progress jury trials may continue to completion. (Administrative Minutes dated 23 December 2020) |
| Civil Trial by Jury | New jury trials suspended until AT LEAST 1 February 2021. In-progress jury trials may continue to completion. (Administrative Minutes dated 23 December 2020) |
| Grand Juries | No current statewide suspension of grand jury proceedings. (Administrative Minutes dated 9 December 2020) Remote grand jury proceedings also authorized. Local suspensions of grand jury proceedings are possible. |
Additional information available from the Georgia Judiciary:
- Administrative Orders, Press Releases, and Other Information related to COVID-19 appear on the home page of the Georgia Supreme Court (scroll down to the grey area of the home page)
- COVID-19 Information and Updates
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia Rules by Jury Type
Status as of 22 December 2020.
| Criminal Trial by Jury | All criminal trials by jury are suspended until AT LEAST 4 January 2021. (SO 2020-12) |
| Civil Trial by Jury | All civil trials by jury are suspended until AT LEAST 4 January 2021. (SO 2020-12) |
| Grand Juries | In-person grand jury proceedings continue. (SO 2020-05) |
Additional information available from the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia:
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia Rules by Jury Type
Status as of 22 December 2020.
| Criminal Trial by Jury | All criminal trials by jury are suspended until AT LEAST 1 March 2021. (GO 20-01, Ninth Amendment) |
| Civil Trial by Jury | All civil trials by jury are suspended until AT LEAST 1 March 2021. (GO 20-01, Ninth Amendment) |
| Grand Juries | In-person grand jury proceedings continue. (GO 2020-01, Ninth Amendment) |
Additional information available from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia:
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia Rules by Jury Type
Status as of 22 December 2020.
| Criminal Trial by Jury | No blanket suspension of criminal trials by jury, but speedy trial deadlines are tolled AT LEAST through 31 January 2021, and jury trials are considered on a case-by-case basis. (SO MC120-027) |
| Civil Trial by Jury | No information found regarding civil trials by jury during the pandemic. |
| Grand Juries | No known suspension of in-person grand jury proceedings. |
Additional information available from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia:
