Georgia’s highest court plans to resume in-person hearings after more than a year of remote proceedings during the coronavirus pandemic.
The nine justices of the Georgia Supreme Court will be back in their courtroom in downtown Atlanta for oral arguments starting June 9, Chief Justice Harold Melton announced this week. Oral arguments moved online after Melton first declared a statewide judicial emergency in March 2020.
“Although the Statewide Judicial Emergency remains in place, this is yet another step in our court system’s return to robust court operations,” Melton said in a news release.
Public health measures will be in place the release says. All nine justices have been vaccinated and will wear masks. Other people in the courtroom will also have to wear masks, though attorneys making arguments may remove their masks at the podium.
Social distancing requirements will mean the crowd in the gallery will be limited to 34, rather than the full 154-person capacity.
