U.S. District Judge Stefan Underhill for the District of Connecticut. Courtesy photo

Federal courts in Connecticut will expand in-court civil and criminal matters, beginning June 15, and jury selections and jury trials have been pushed back to Sept. 1, U.S. District Chief Judge Stefan Underhill said Friday.

Most criminal and civil matters have been proceeding via telephone and video during the COVID-19 pandemic, but Underhill said judges in the three federal courthouse buildings in Bridgeport, New Haven and Hartford will decide whether to resume in-person sessions on June 15. That decision will be left to the individual judges.

"Some judges are eager to get back," Underhill said. "My sense is that the younger judges are more inclined to come back. And for obvious reasons, the older judges—and we have a number that are well over 65 years old—are concerned about their safety and everyone else's safety."

There are 15 judges, including active and senior status, who preside in Connecticut's federal courthouses.

"Beginning on June 15, you will see a slow and careful resumption of normal activities," Underhill said.

Underhill said the federal courts have a COVID-19 committee, which U.S. District Judge Michael Shea chairs.

In planning when and how to open the state's federal courts, Underhill said Shea has talked with several health experts within the Yale Hospital system.

"We have consulted with them on what measures to take to effectively reduce the risk of infection, which is our top concern," Underhill said. "We don't want the courts to be a vehicle for disease spread." The judge also said he continues to monitor guidelines from Gov. Ned Lamont.

Social-distancing protocols have been in place in the courts for months, and will remain for the foreseeable future, Underhill said.

"Staff and visitors must wear a mask in public areas, and are encouraged to wear one in private areas," he said.

He added: "We can't do much in the hallways, but we are taking a number of measures to assure social distancing in the courtrooms. There are 6-foot distancing in the gallery so people who want to watch the proceedings are required to sit at least 6 feet from each other."

Underhill also noted that the "cleaning of the courthouses ha[s] been increased and we are now looking into having plexiglass between various areas of the courthouses."

"It's been difficult, but everyone has pitched in to make this work," Underhill said. "It takes a team, and we have a great team to do our job while maintaining safety."

As of late Thursday, and according to the office of the governor, Connecticut had recorded 41,171 cases of COVID-19 and 3,171 deaths from the virus.

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