DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court has issued an order suspending grand jury hearings and criminal jury trials until mid-July in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. Chief Justice Susan Christensen issued the order Thursday that says trials and hearings already in progress will continue.

But those that have not begun and are scheduled to begin over the coming weeks have been postponed.

Non-jury criminal trials, in which a judge issues a verdict, are scheduled to resume June 1 under the order. Grand juries and jury trials scheduled through June are now pushed back until at least July 13.