Federal court trials in Minnesota suspended until late April under coronavirus precautions

(FOX 9) - Federal court trials and grand juries in Minnesota have been suspended for more than a month as more entities work to combat the spread of coronavirus.

The suspension will last until at least April 27 and will impact criminal and civil trials along with grand juries and attorney admission ceremonies. The changes come under an order from Chief Judge John Tunheim issued on Friday.

The United States District Court for the District of Minnesota will remain open for other business during that time, however, including the clerk's office for case intake. Electronic and mail filings will also continue to be accepted. The Probation and Pretrial Services Office along with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court will also remain open. Naturalization ceremonies will also proceed as normal.

The court will also take further precautions to avoid coronavirus spread, including having some employees work remotely and implementing social distancing strategies.

At this time, there are no changes for district courts in the state at this time. In a statement online, district court leaders say they are monitoring the situation and asking people to take precautions to keep themselves and others safe.