Next month, judges at the County Courthouse and Courts Building will officially end a jury practice going back to the days without air conditioning.
The practice has always been not to have jury trials in the hot month of August.
However, two different jury panels have been ordered for August.
Criminal Court Judge Barry Steelman noted that the practice did go back to the days of sweltering courtrooms. He said it was continued as judges and their staffs would often take vacations sometime in August.
He said, however, that vacation plans have shifted for many due to the fact that school now starts back near the first of August.
Circuit Court Clerk Larry Henry added that judges were finding that, after skipping a month, "they were covered up in September. It took them two or three months to catch up."
He said he met over the winter with all the judges and the decision was made then to go forward with August juries.
However, it was decided to ease into the new practice by only calling 48 jurors per panel instead of the 96 normally summoned. Mr. Henry said next year full panels may be needed.
Jurors will be called on Aug. 4 and Aug. 18 for two-week terms.
Judge Steelman has set a trial to begin Aug. 25.