Criminal jury trials are to resume in regional courts following the modification of courtrooms to better accommodate COVIDSafe conditions and increase capacity to hear more trials.
Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes said criminal jury trials in the Supreme and County Courts would progressively resume in regional locations across Victoria in the coming months.
“Works are already underway at Geelong, Ballarat, Shepparton, Morwell and Warrnambool, and will soon commence in Mildura and Wodonga,” Ms Symes said.
“This includes extending jury boxes, expanding jury rooms and relocating furniture to adapt our courts to a post coronavirus environment and to improve the experience of jurors,” she said.
“Once upgrades are complete, the County Court will hear more criminal trials in regional locations than it did before coronavirus.”
Ms Symes said a booking system would schedule Supreme Court trials efficiently to ensure use of the improved courtrooms was maximised and more trials were heard.
The Attorney-General said regional courts had remained open to local communities throughout the pandemic, with many Supreme and County Court hearings conducted remotely.
She said in-person hearings in non-jury criminal and civil matters had already recommenced in several regional court locations where Supreme and County Court matters were heard.
