Jury summonses have started hitting Connecticut mailboxes for the first time in months. That is, tentatively, good news. The summonses wisely include a question essentially allowing potential jurors to opt out if they are at particular risk from the coronavirus. How the pandemic will affect willingness to serve, and whether it will lead to less diverse juries (economically, racially and ideologically) will not be known for a few months, assuming trials start as planned.

To understate the point, the Judicial Branch has faced unprecedented challenges in getting Connecticut courts open and running again. Safety must be a priority. But an equal priority must be fairness.