Our court system, especially our trial courts, has been severely impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, where jury trials are largely frozen. In California, for example, jury trials in state court are suspended until at least late May 2020. And most federal district courts throughout the country have suspended trials until June. Realistically, litigants should expect that the hold on trials likely will continue past anticipated dates in many jurisdictions.

When the trial courtrooms do re-open, what options will litigants have to see their cases to resolution? And as important, when jury trials recommence, what will they look like?