The US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia is the fastest federal docket in the country. The court’s motto is “Justice delayed is justice denied.” But, as they say, the virus doesn’t care about your motto. Yesterday evening, the Clerk of Court sent out this email:

“All criminal jury trials in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia are temporarily suspended, with criminal jury trials to resume on January 19, 2021, absent further Order from this Court. Such temporary suspension is in response to the significant increase in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and percent positivity in our District; the increase in known and suspected COVID-19 exposure of court personnel and court users; and the recent statewide and local community actions increasing restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19.”