July 20, 2020 -- A Westchester County Grand Jury has been sworn in at the Westchester County Courthouse for the first time since a grand jury heard a presentation March 16, 2020, before the coronavirus and New York Pause curtailed court schedules.
The grand jury began hearing evidence today, Monday, July 20, 2020 on a variety of scheduled felony cases presented by the District Attorney’s Office. This is a major step in hearing a backlog of cases postponed during the mandated shutdown of the courts.
Special health and safety protocols have been put in place for grand jurors’ safety, taking into account concerns regarding the ongoing pandemic. Anyone entering the courthouse will be met by NY State Court Officers assigned to take touchless temperature readings and will be asked health survey questions. Read more details on these new protocols. No one will be allowed in the building without wearing a mask.
In addition, the prospective grand jurors have been meeting in the building’s Ceremonial Courtroom (#201), which is a larger space than the traditional grand jury rooms, and allows for appropriate social distancing throughout their term of service. Grand juries are empaneled for one month and will hear multiple cases during that time. Learn more about the work of the grand jury.
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