Loaner Laptops, Dry Runs: Virtual Federal Civil Trials on Tap

The federal court covering Seattle is moving ahead with virtual jury trials in civil cases to help clear its docket backlog worsened by pandemic-driven courtroom delays.

The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington is believed to be one of the first, if not the first, federal court to proceed with a virtual jury proceeding since the virus disrupted the federal judiciary in March.

Zoom jury trials in civil cases are on the schedule beginning Tuesday, including one involving Holland America Lines, a unit of cruise giant Carnival Corp. The aim is to try to ease case backlogs ...