The state’s largest judicial circuit is suspending jury trials again due to rising COVID-19 numbers. The presiding judge of the Second Judicial Circuit—which serves Minnehaha and Lincoln Counties—issued the notice Tuesday afternoon.
Judge Robin Houwman says in a statement that rising COVID hospitalizations in the area are driving the decision. She says when trials resumed in mid-June, hospitalizations had been trending downward and had stayed under 45.
The City of Sioux Falls COVID-19 dashboard shows 70 patients are hospitalized with the virus in Minnehaha and Lincoln counties. That’s 39% of the state’s total hospitalizations—which have been rising over the past few weeks.
Judge Houwman says trials scheduled through October 13th should be reset.