■ Superior courthouses to reopen on restricted basis, courtrooms remain closed,

Sylmar court ordered closed amid COVID-19 case

Presiding Judge Kevin C. Brazile ordered an immediate three-day closure of the Sylmar Courthouse Sunday after a deputy public defender assigned to the courthouse tested positive for coronavirus, or COVID-19.

This comes after the Los Angeles County Superior Court recently announced it would be temporarily suspending all infraction hearings, trials, arraignments and appearances for at least 30 days, from March 17 and April 16.

Brazile was notified on Saturday that an attorney assigned to the Public Defender’s Office tested positive last week for COVID-19 after caring for a relative who also tested positive, according to a news release issued Sunday.

Affected judges and staff were notified and are now expected to selfquarantine for 14 days following the Centers for Disease Control and Public Health Office’s guidelines, while both affected courtrooms have also been cleaned and disinfected thoroughly and are set to be cleaned again Monday.

Brazile was then able to make the order for the closure of the Sylmar Courthouse with the emergency powers he obtained from Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye on March 16.

The courthouse, which handles juvenile delinquency cases exclusively in two courtrooms, is set to reopen on Thursday. Cases on the calendar until then are scheduled to be moved temporarily to the Michael D. Antonovich Antelope Valley Courthouse in Lancaster.

Nearly 400 of the county’s courtrooms will remain closed at least through April 16, the date specified under the county’s “Safer at Home” directive.

“The court is working with our judicial officers and employees on a courtwide operations plan designed to keep as many people out of our courthouses as possible to slow the spread of COVID-19, while prioritizing our time-sensitive, essential functions,” Brazile said in a prepared statement. “Although 36 of 38 courthouses in Los Angeles County will reopen (Saturday), our trial court operations will be downsized and scaled back substantially due to the closure of nearly 400 courtrooms starting Friday.”

Brazile’s order also added to the list of essential services the court provides, and can begin working on, including emergency protective orders, proceedings under the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act, mental health condition commitments, parole and post-release revocation hearings, juvenile arraignment and hearings.

“The court has used the last three days to plan for measures to adhere to and promote social distancing,” Brazile said. “The public is reminded that when they return for court business tomorrow, we are seeking their help to remain at least 6 feet away from any other person.”

According to officials, the following court services remain suspended:

■ All civil and criminal jury and non-jury trials are suspended.

■ Jury service is suspended temporarily.

■ No pre-trial conferences will be held.

■ Next week, more courtrooms and/ or departments will be closed to reflect the Court’s reorganized functions and further.

For more information, visit the Los Angeles County Superior Court’s website, https://www.lacourt.org/.