GREENSBORO, N.C. — Editor's Note: The above video is from a separate story where a Guilford County bailiff passed away from coronavirus.
For the first time since March, Guilford County courthouses will restart jury trials.
Jurors will return starting Monday with new measures set in place because of the pandemic. The Clerk of Court’s office is once again mailing summonses to potential jurors. Mask wearing and social distancing will be required. According to the courthouse staff, there will be increased cleaning and a much smaller amount of people allowed in rooms.
The courthouse will also feature new thermal cameras to help measure body temperatures of those entering court buildings in both Greensboro and High Point. The cameras will be placed outside the entrances and also include a black box. The cameras take temperature readings of the face and the images are stored in the black box which will be deleted.
Staff with temperatures will be sent home and others with symptoms will be triaged.
Security stations will dispense hand sanitizer. Workers will also make sure those entering wear their masks. They will ask people entering, questions about their COVID-19 exposure and symptoms.
Jurors will also use a separate entrance from the public when entering the courthouse.
They have also installed new jury space with state-of-the-art audio and video to all for social distancing and communication between judges and jurors. Some judges will place jurors in the box and space around the jury box. Courtrooms also have protective plexiglass panels.
Lawyers will sit at partitioned tables while judges and witnesses will be shielded.
Jury trials will resume Monday.