Courthouse to reopen — carefully
Modified operations and COVID-19 screening, precautions will be in place
NORRISTOWN » Montgomery County Court officials said the No. 1 priority is safety when modified operations resume at the courthouse and other court-related facilities June 1 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The court will take every step possible to keep people safe. This includes all of the people who work in our court facilities and all of the people who come to our court facilities,” officials wrote in a “safety protocol” memorandum that outlined general safety and security requirements that will apply to all those who access court facilities.
The hours of operation will be restored to 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. June 1.
Each of the six divisions of the court system — Criminal, Civil, Family, Juvenile, Orphans’ and Magisterial District Courts — has developed a written protocol identifying the types of cases that will be processed during a phased approach to restarting operations, officials said.
The court-related facilities include the county courthouse in Norristown, courtrooms in One Montgomery Plaza in Norristown, 24 magisterial district court facilities spread out throughout the county and the juvenile court facility in West Norriton.
Court facilities have been closed to the general public since mid-March under an emergency judicial order signed by President Judge Thomas M. DelRicci. The courts primarily have been handling emergency matters since that time, and many have been held via video-conferencing technology.
As officials move forward with reopening the courts after the COVID-19 judicial emergency, they drafted a mission statement focused on the goals of safety, justice and growth.
“As much as we would like to go back to doing things the way we did before, that’s not possible; at least not yet and maybe never. We will need to make choices. Some will want us to do more, others less,” officials wrote in the mission statement.
From a safety standpoint, based on guidance from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, county court officials said the goal is to provide services “utilizing the lowest court interaction level possible, within constitutional mandates,” according to the protocol.
One Montgomery Plaza will remain closed to the public until further notice, and all Orphans’ Court and arbitration matters normally handled at courtrooms there will be held at the courthouse or will be conducted using communication technology, according to DelRicci’s latest order regarding the June 1 opening.
The juvenile court facility in West Norriton also will remain closed to the public, and all juvenile proceedings will be held at the courthouse. DelRicci said parental visitation at the Youth Center in West Norriton may resume “under
“As much as we would like to go back to doing things the way we did before, that’s not possible; at least not yet and maybe never. We will need to make choices. Some will want us to do more, others less.” — Montgomery County safety protocol memorandum
strict safety directives.”
Officials said personal health and safety protocols must be strictly followed at all court facilities when they reopen June 1 and they will include health screenings, including temperature checks, required at all entrances to court facilities; maintaining social distancing directives of a minimum of 6- feet between individuals at all times with assistance of appropriate markers whenever possible; and the wearing of a protective face mask at all times within a facility by judges, court staff and the public.
Court scheduling will be staggered, and the time allotted per case will be increased to allow for sufficient time between scheduled matters to limit the number of people in a facility, to avoid contact between separate case-related individuals and to permit time for appropriate cleaning by court staff, officials said.
Courtroom procedural controls also are being implemented, including rules for introducing documents or exhibits during in-person hearings to minimize contact between individuals, possibly in advance electronically.
Live witness testimony also may be modified so it doesn’t occur from the witness box that is attached to the judge’s bench and water pitchers, glasses and Bibles are slated to be removed.
The number of people permitted access to any court facility or area within a facility will be limited based on social distancing guidelines, including staff areas, elevators and public restrooms. The number of people per elevator will be posted and some stairwells in facilities will be posted as one-way, up or down, officials said.
Some physical alterations may occur at some facilities or rooms, including the installation of Plexiglas or other types of physical barriers and the removal of chairs or desks to increase the physical space between staff and the addition of social distancing markers by using tape, according to the protocol.
Appropriate cleaning and sanitary supplies will be made available to staff and the public, including hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes and tissues, officials said. Regularly scheduled cleaning and sanitizing of all facilities will be conducted.
To reduce or minimize exposure of staff, officials said special work policies also may be implemented, including continuing to encourage working remotely. Officials said establishing alternating days or flexible work hours, if possible, also is recommended to reduce the number of staff in any facility at any given time, and a ban on nonessential travel will continue.