Covington County’s circuit judges issued a joint order earlier this month in which they cancelled the June jury term, in compliance with a mandate from the Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court.

Alabama Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb on April 12 issued an administrative order mandating cost cuts. In the order, she directed each circuit to reduce by half the number of weeks of jury trials in civil cases and to reduce by one-fourth the number of weeks of jury trials in criminal cases.

On April 22, Judge Ashley McKathan and Judge Lex Short issued a joint order canceling the June jury term.