Health order restricts access to courhouses
Public access to county courthouses is now restricted to authorized persons and court employees after Presiding Judge Kevin Brazile issued a new order Monday in light of the recent COVID-19 case surge.
“Effective immediately, public access to courthouses is restricted to authorized persons only and measures to enforce social distancing in courthouse hallways and courtrooms will bestrictly enforced as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations surge in Los Angeles County,” read the statement from Brazile.
Access to courthouses, according to the order, is limited to judicial officials and employees, co-lessees, vendors, jurors, mediators, media representatives, attorneys, litigants, witnesses and those with a previously scheduled appointment.
Since summer, the courts granted public access as long as a variety of stipulations were followed, including the implementation of signage at various courthouses that informed visitors of mask and social distancing requirements.
However, the recent resurgence in daily cases countywide has resulted in the court returning to the more strict guidelines put in place closer to the onset of the pandemic.
“In the interest of enforcing social distancing and to reduce the number of people in courthouses, effective Monday, Nov. 30, members of the public, not otherwise referenced above, who wish to attend a court proceeding may do so upon advance request and at the discretion of the judicial officer presiding over the matter,” read the news release from the Los Angeles County Superior Court.
Conversation between attorneys, clients and/or staff in courthouse hallways will be prohibited unless social distancing guidelines can be followed.
Mandatory social distancing and mask-wearing will be enforced within courtrooms by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Online appointments can be made in advance, and in lieu of, some in-person court appearances.
For more information about the court’s new guidelines, visit lacourt.org/newsmedia/ui/ HfySfy.aspx.