The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a backlog of cases at the Berrien County Trial Court. Berrien County Commissioner Jim Curran told the Berrien County Board of Commissioners this week there are at least 115 felony trials on hold and an unknown number of misdemeanor trials. When the court opens back up, there’s going to be a problem with jury selection.
“In a major felony trial, they might have as many as 50 or 60 people come in for a jury pool and then they select from those people,” Curran said. “At the court, there is no space large enough to accommodate that many people.”
Curran says the court is looking at off-site jury selection.
“What they are proposing is to rent the Vineland Center over on Vineland Road. This would be from September to December.”
Curran said it would cost an estimated $32,000 to rent the center during that time, another $20,000 for the needed tech, and $7,000 for security. The county administrative committee signed off on the idea this week.
