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A San Antonio criminal district court judge is proposing the use of a hybrid trial to clear up a backlog of cases. Jury selection would be done via Zoom, but the trial would take place in-person. Civil trials have been held virtually during the pandemic, but not criminal trials. The Texas Supreme Court recently ruled criminal trials could be virtual as well, under certain conditions. Hybrid trials would not be used for murders or other serious crimes involving victims, but only for lower-level felonies.Â