Covid 19 coronavirus: Chief Justice orders halt to all jury trials for 24 hours

The Chief Justice has announced the suspension of all jury trials around the country for 24 hours.

Last night, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Auckland would be moving to alert level 3 on the Government's Covid-19 response scale at midday today for the next three days.

The Super City will be plunged back into lockdown in response to four cases of community transmission, while the rest of New Zealand will be at alert level 2.

In response, Chief Justice Helen Winkelmann announced a 24-hour suspension of jury trials for all of New Zealand. She said this would allow time for the courts to re-establish the public safety measures which apply at alert level 2.

She also announced that jury trials in progress in the Auckland region are suspended until Monday.

"Jurors who are summonsed to attend, or who are serving on trials in the Auckland High Court, and District Court at Manukau and Auckland are therefore excused from attendance at court on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday," Justice Winkelmann said.

Jurors summonsed to attend or currently serving on trials will be contacted by registries today to advise them of the arrangements being made in each courthouse for their attendance for the rest of the week.

• Court protocols during Alert Level 2

• Court protocols during Alert Level 3

Jurors will also be contacted by registries regarding attendance the following week, Justice Winkelmann said in a statement.

Further statements and updates from the Chief Justice are expected later today.

Meanwhile, police roadblocks will be set up at entrances to the Auckland region — and the Government confirmed this morning it was working with lawyers on a legal notice to make masks mandatory for Aucklanders out and about in the public.

Auckland Mayor Phil Goff has also said people should expect police roadblocks on motorways in and out of the city.

The area covered by level 3 is the Super City — from Wellsford in the north to Pukekohe in the south.

Ardern said the four cases of community transmission were in South Auckland — all from the same family. The source of infection is unknown.

They are the first such confirmed cases of coronavirus in New Zealand for 102 days.

Level 3 means public facilities, businesses, restaurants and cafes will shut — as will schools unless they have students whose parents are essential workers — and most people will be required to work from home.

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website