Press Release
District Court, Upper

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Upper & Lower District Court Jury Trial Suspended thru January 31, 2022

Kittitas County, WA - 01/11/2022 - By Emergency order of Darrel R. Ellis, presiding Judge of the of the Upper Kittitas County District Court, Cle Elum Municipal Court, Roslyn Municipal Court and Paul R. Sander presiding Judge of the Lower Kittitas County District Court Jury Trials are suspended thru January 31, 2022.

On February 29, 2020, Washington State Governor Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency due to the public health emergency posed by the spread of the coronavirus (COVID – 19).

Recent Department of Health statistics reflect that Kittitas County is above the state average in the rate of new cases per 100,000 population and in percentage of positive test results.  Therefore, effective immediately, the Upper Kittitas County District Court, Lower Kittitas County District Court, Cle Elum Municipal Court and Roslyn Municipal Court will suspend Jury Trials through January 31, 2022.

The Court will remain open to the public during regular business hours.  As the situation changes, the Court may make modifications to comply with the rapidly changing environment.   Please review www.co.kittitas.wa.us/courts for the most recent information.

While this has been a very difficult decision to make, it is the right decision based on the extraordinary circumstances that we currently face.  Changes in behaviors are needed to combat the current spike in COVID-19 cases.  The Courts are not exempt from the need to take steps to push the curve down and keep people safe.  Temporarily suspending jury trials is the most responsible course of action for our court to take at this moment.  The safety and well-being of our community demands it.  The Court has made significant modifications to jury trial operations in order to keep jurors safe, however holding trials still requires the Court to gather large groups together indoors.  At this time, it is simply not worth the risk.

If you have been summoned as a Juror for the month of January 2022 in the Upper Kittitas County District Court, Lower Kittitas County District Court, Cle Elum Municipal Court or Roslyn Municipal Court you are excused from service for the January 2022 term.

 

Kittitas County, from the Cascades to the Columbia, and online at http://www.co.kittitas.wa.us

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Contact: Diana MacKenzie, Upper Court Administrator
(509) 674-5533
diana.mackenzie@co.kittitas.wa.us

Barb Demory, Lower Court Administrator
(509) 962-7511
Barbara.demory@co.kittitas.wa.us

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