The indefinite suspension of jury trials due to the COVID-19 pandemic can constitute good cause to dispense with a jury, where the prospect of indefinite delay outweighs a party's prima facie right to trial by jury. The proposition that juries are the preferred mode of trial in defamation proceedings is not a legal principle that mandates the mode of trial; each case must be determined on its own facts and circumstances. Relevant factors include whether the matter has been fixed for trial, the likelihood of a jury trial within an appropriate timeframe, and the nature of the issues.
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