Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Harold Melton signed a new 13-page judicial emergency order Saturday that—among other things—opened the door to the return of jury trials for the first time since the coronavirus disease pandemic began in March.

“The blanket suspension of jury trials that has been in place since the March 14 Order is ended effective immediately,” the new order said. “The Chief Judge of each trial court is authorized, in his or her discretion, to summon new trial jurors and to resume jury trials, if that can be done safely and in accordance with a final jury trial plan developed in collaboration with the local committee and incorporated into the court’s written operating guidelines for in-person proceedings.”