RALEIGH, N.C. — Chief Justice Cheri Beasley announced Friday that North Carolina Courts will postpone non-essential, in-person court proceedings for 30 days, beginning Monday, December 14.
“In light of the recent surge of new COVID-19 cases in North Carolina and in our courts, this pause is necessary to protect the health and safety of our court personnel and the public,” said Chief Justice Cheri Beasley. “Throughout the pandemic, we have moved an unprecedented amount of court work online, including hearings. Those efforts will allow us to limit in-person proceedings for the next few weeks while making sure our courts stay available to serve the public.”
COVID-19 is putting a strain on court operations. Nearly 300 court officials and employees have reported positive cases since the start of the pandemic, and over half of the state's county courthouses have been partially or completely closed due to COVID-19. Eleven courthouses have closed in this week alone, according to a release from the North Carolina Judicial Branch.
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NC Court officials say court operations are typically reduced through the end of the year even under normal circumstances, so with few jury trials scheduled and courts conducting many proceedings remotely, the impact on court dockets should be minimal.
“I am gravely concerned with the recent surge in positive cases, but with this new directive, I am confident that potential exposures will be significantly reduced if we work together to adhere to health and safety guidelines,” said Chief Justice Beasley.
In addition to today’s announcement, Chief Justice Beasley called a meeting of the Judicial Branch COVID-19 Task Force to discuss emergency directives and policy changes related to the COVID-19 health emergency. The Task Force will meet from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. on December 15, 2020.