Mark Duncan, Eighth Circuit Court District circuit judge, spoke at the 2021 Neshoba County Fair on Wednesday.
Judge Duncan looks back at the last three years and the changes that have come. He details how working with the other Eight Circuit Court District circuit judges they have been able to overcome many obstacles.
“Of course our greatest challenge over the last year and a half or so has been dealing with COVID. The pandemic has affected every aspect of our lives and the court system is no different,” said Duncan.
Some of the things the court did to ensure safety:
- Planned to have their juror in larger venues
- Jurors who had underlying health conditions were excused
- Masks were required in court
In the fall of 2020, the infection rate of COVID was slowly falling until COVID started spiking again in December. The Court system stopped jury trials in December and restarted in March for safety.
Judge Duncan encourages everyone to take the pandemic seriously and encourages Mississippians to get vaccinated.
“It is not over, and it won’t be for some time. Please take precautions, we all know what they are by now. Consider getting vaccinated, it is our ticket to getting this over with. Taking precautions is not just about you, but it’s for the greater good.
Anne Summerhays
