LOS ANGELES (CNS) - The presiding judge of Los Angeles County's Superior Court system announced today that courtrooms will remain closed for judicial business for another 30 days except for those handling time-sensitive, essential functions during the coronavirus pandemic.
In a statement released by the court, Presiding Judge Kevin C. Brazile said the closure through May 12 is “necessary to continue social distancing in our courthouses as we balance public health and safety while maintaining access to justice for time-sensitive, essential matters.”
Essential matters include arraignments, preliminary hearings, bail review hearings, grand jury indictments and sentencing hearings in criminal cases, along with juvenile petitions, emergency protective orders, emergency writs challenging COVID-19 emergency measures and civil and family temporary restraining orders.
A video arraignment program is being started in 29 courtrooms at 15 courthouses, according to the court.
All civil jury and non-jury trials that had been scheduled between Friday and May 12 will be postponed to after June 20, and all traffic and infraction trials that had been set from Friday through May 12 will also be postponed to a later date, according to the court.
Brazile announced last week that the court system was instituting a 90- day grace period on all traffic and non-traffic infraction tickets.
Brazile announced on March 17 that most court functions would remain on hold until April 16 to “allow us to comply with social distancing and to prevent the spread of the virus within our community.”
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