» Lorain County Common Pleas Court closed to public,

Due to the public health emergency as a result of the novel coronavirus pandemic, Lorain County Common Pleas Court General Division judges have closed the courts to the public to at least April

13.

An order March 18 from the judges says:

• Common Pleas Court General Division is closed to the general public but will maintain essential court functions and operations subject to further order of court.

• The Court shall attempt to minimize the social interaction of all litigants, attorneys, witnesses, jurors, law enforcement personnel and court staff personnel by continuing nonessential proceedings or by conducting proceedings by remote video, telephonic or other available technological resources.

• All pending civil and criminal jury trials are hereby suspended until at least April 13.

• All criminal matters, including pretrial hearings, are ordered to be continued unless exigent circumstances require in-person hearings.

• Further, all criminal proceedings will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, with an emphasis on expediting cases involving presently incarcerated defendants.

• All in-person civil proceedings, except emergency actions, are suspended until April 13. All civil proceedings, including pretrials and all other hearings, may be conducted by telephone at the discretion of the assigned judge.

• Sheriff’s sales scheduled for March 25, April 8 and April 22 are hereby canceled, and the Lorain County sheriff is ordered to return those orders of sale without execution. All other orders of sale that have been issued or are subsequently filed are hereby stayed for a period of 60 days or until further order of the court. All current or future writs of possession are hereby stayed for a period of 60 days or until further order of the court.

• All mediation department matters and hearings are ordered to be suspended until at least April 13, all matters affected will be rescheduled by further order of the mediation department.

• All time frame suspensions set forth above may be further extended for a greater period of time subject to further order of the court if deemed necessary.