U.K. Won’t Start Criminal Trials to Last Longer Than Three Days

(Bloomberg) -- The U.K.’s top judge said courts won’t start criminal trials that are scheduled to last longer than three days because of risk from the coronavirus to jurors and other participants.

While some courts are using video links and other technologies to conduct hearings, criminal trials, which involve judges, lawyers, defendants, jurors and other staff, are too much of a risk, Lord Chief Justice Ian Burnett said Tuesday in an emailed statement.

“Given the risks of a trial not being able to complete, I have decided that no new trial should start in the Crown Court unless it is expected to last for three days or less,” Burnett said in an emailed statement. “All cases estimated to last longer than three days listed to start before the end of April 2020 will be adjourned.”

The criminal cases will be kept under review, and the plan for only short trials will be revisited next week. Trials currently under way will generally proceed in the hope that they can be completed, he said.

Earlier Tuesday, Burnett said the U.K. government’s comments on limiting public gatherings “will clearly have an impact on the operation of all courts in every jurisdiction. It is not realistic to suppose that it will be business as usual in any jurisdiction, but it is of vital importance that the administration of justice does not grind to a halt.”

A U.K. judge suspended the country’s biggest ongoing corruption trial until March 31, the first such delay in the courts. Three men are charged with allegedly conspiring to bribe Iraqi officials in 2008 to secure major contracts to build oil export facilities.

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