Courts drop masks rules

The Minnesota Judicial Branch announced that face coverings will no longer be required in court facilities effective July 6, 2021.

“As the pandemic’s impact on Minnesota continues to recede, so too will some of the health and safety protocols that were in place in our district and appellate courts,” said Chief Justice Lorie S. Gildea.

Judges, employees, and courthouse visitors will still be allowed to wear face coverings in court facilities if they choose to do so, although judges may direct people to remove face coverings as necessary to conduct court hearings.

There will continue to be limitations on the types of in-person activities that take place at court facilities through Sept. 6, including the following:

• In-person hearings and trials: Criminal Jury Trials; Civil Jury Trials; court trials in Major Criminal, Juvenile Delinquency and Juvenile Protection (including Child in Need of Protection or Services and Permanency case types); Criminal Settlement Conferences; and Grand Jury Proceedings continue to take place in-person.

• Mandatory misdemeanor criminal trials and contested hearings in these cases can be held in person beginning Aug. 2, 2021.

• All other district court proceedings are being held remotely unless the chief judge of the judicial district grants permission for an in-

person proceeding based on extenuating circumstances.