In-person jury trials are happening again in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.

There is an in-person jury trial scheduled in a federal court for June 15, after a test jury trial last week in Dallas ended in acquittal for a criminal-defendant who had fought as hard as possible to postpone the trial. These are the first in-person jury trials in Texas—and maybe the nation—since the coronavirus pandemic shuttered courthouse doors in March.

The courts are using precautions against infection, such as having jurors follow social distancing, wear clear plastic face shields, sit in the courtroom gallery so they can maintain distance and more.

Assistant public defenders Michael Kawi and Stephanie Inman, "bravely, and without hesitation, went into court to defend our client knowing they were putting themselves in harm's way," said an email by Federal Public Defender Jason Hawkins of the Northern District of Texas. Hawkins sent the message on the email forum of the National Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. Hawkins, Kawi and Inman each didn't return messages seeking comment.

"This may soon be coming to your jurisdiction," Hawkins wrote on the email thread. "There are other trials scheduled in our district now and one is for June 15 in Abilene, one of our smaller divisions."

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Next Jury Trial

According to the hearings calendar for U.S. District Judge Wes Hendrix, there is a jury trial scheduled for June 15 in the U.S. Courthouse in Abilene. The case is United States v. Santos, which involves a felony charge for attempted enticement of a minor, according to the case docket.

James Wesley Hendrix U.S. District Judge James Wesley "Wes" Hendrix. Courtesy photo

Hendrix on Monday issued a notice about his trial procedures. The jury pool building in Lubbock County is large enough to permit social distancing of the potential jurors. Hendrix had jurors complete and return a form about their ability to participate. It asked a COVID-19 question, and the judge has already excused jurors who had coronavirus related concerns, said the notice.