Our Mission
Jury trials are critical for the administration of justice in the United States and in the State of Georgia. Mask Up for Justice is a joint project between the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association (“GTLA”) and the Georgia Defense Lawyers Association (“GDLA”), supported by the State Bar of Georgia. Together, we are working to raise funds to provide supplies for Georgia's courthouses to assist with the resumption of jury trials and to allow courthouses to operate safely during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Goal One
In these unprecedented times, the goal of keeping the courthouse doors open so that justice is available to all citizens remains a top priority for the legal community. For this reason, GTLA and GDLA have crossed party lines to join together in an effort to provide Georgia courthouses with the support that they need to be able to safely operate during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Goal Two
The COVID-19 pandemic requires social distancing measures, sanitizing procedures and personal protective equipment for any facility to safely operate in accordance with CDC guidelines. Implementing these measures can be expensive, and as government facilities, Georgia courthouses need our support to ensure that they have necessary supplies.
Goal Three
With your donations, GDLA and GTLA will be able to purchase and provide face masks, personal protective equipment and other necessary items needed by Georgia courthouses for them to be able to safely operate during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jury trials in the State of Georgia have been suspended since March 2020, per Emergency Orders from Chief Justice Harold Melton of the Georgia Supreme Court. However, Chief Justice Melton has recently stated that jury trials must resume, given the backlog of important cases that continues to grow. “We’re pressed to go green on grand juries, we’re pressed to go green on jury trials,” Melton said. “I would love to be able to open up jury trials in October.”
Georgia Chief Justice:
State Getting Ready to Resume Jury Proceedings
Per the Georgia Court Reopening Guide, courts will seek to achieve the above-listed safety measures.
Court Reopening Safety Measures
Face Masks Required
For infection control purposes, the reopening of the courts will include a requirement that masks and/or face coverings be worn by all court employees and the general public entering the courthouse facility.
Jurors
All jurors will be required to wear a mask or face covering while in the court facility. Transparent face shields may also need to be provided in instances where wearing a traditional mask might make it more difficult to evaluate the demeanor of jurors.
Court Employees
All court employees must be provided with adequate personal protective equipment, including face masks or coverings.
Providing court facilities with much needed face masks for court employees, jurors and members of the public entering the court facility is not only a life-saving measure, but also one that is integral to insure the continuance of the system of justice that the State of Georgia and our country were founded upon. Implementing measures to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and enabling court cases to proceed where possible is essential to our system of justice. Without question, “justice delayed is justice denied.” See State v. Johnson, 291 Ga. 863, 869 (2012)(quote in dissenting opinion given by Justice Harold Melton). Indeed, for “practical purposes the existence of a right depends on the availability of an effective remedy to enforce it.” Recycle & Recover v. Ga. Bd. of Natural Res., 266 Ga. 253, 255 (1996). To be sure, it has been a long held fundamental principle in Georgia that the courts seek to uphold law and expedite hearings “and to make certain the administration of justice without delay.” Georgia v. Am. Credit Control, Inc., 222 Ga. 512, 513 (1966). “We must continue to conform to this practice.” Id.
GTLA and GDLA recognize that the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in unprecedented interruptions and delays in traditional court proceedings. With your help and donations, Mask Up For Justice will support the reopening of Georgia’s judicial system by off-setting the substantial cost of the measures required for safe reopening of court facilities.