The Florida Supreme Court eased more justice system regulations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, sliding requirements for traffic ticket trials, judicial education and interpreter services.

Speedy trial requirements were lifted in traffic infraction cases for March 13 to April 20 and possibly longer, Chief Justice Charles Canady ordered.

For judges, the three-year period for completing and reporting their continuing legal education was extended a year through the end of 2021.

Interpreters required to take exams in the first year of a two-year registration period now have until year-end to complete the requirement, and related fingerprinting deadlines were extended. A two-year time frame for provisionally approved interpreters to obtain a state designation also was suspended until Dec. 31.

Most civil and criminal litigation is transitioning to remote operations except for trials, which have been suspended. The Florida Office of the State Courts Administrator has provided Zoom remote meeting software to state courts and judges are training on it to allow nonessential operations to resume electronically.

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