CHARLESTON – Two county judicial centers are closed this week because of Coronavirus cases in the buildings.
On July 20, Raleigh County judges met and decided to close the Raleigh County Judicial Center for a week for deep cleaning. Last week, an employee in the circuit clerk’s office was diagnosed, and that office was closed for cleaning. Two other judicial annex employees since have tested positive.
Chief Circuit Judge Andrew Dimlich said the building was closed at the end of business July 20. It is scheduled to reopen July 27. He said all non-essential services and hearings for the week have been canceled or postponed, but he said emergency hearings will take place.
Also, the Monongalia County Justice Center is closed this week to non-essential business after two employees tested positive. Monongalia County Commission President Ed Hawkins said the closure could be extended if necessary.
The Monongalia County Bar Association told members to self-quarantine or get tested if they had interacted with employees of the Monongalia County Prosecutor’s Office or appeared in Judge Cindy Scott’s courtroom.
“The Monongalia County Commission is taking this measure in consultation with the Monongalia County Circuit Court, the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, and the Monongalia County Health Department to ensure that our employees as well as the general public are safeguarded to the maximum extent possible,” a press release said.
The justice center is home to the county’s circuit, magistrate and family courts, the circuit and magistrate clerk’s offices, the county prosecutor’s office, day report center and probation.
According to a Monday memo by Scott, who is the chief judge in the county, issued a memo July 20 saying the Circuit Clerk and Magistrate Clerk offices will be open for filings and can be reached by phone. All Circuit Court matters are postponed.
Magistrate Court will continue to address felony preliminary hearings, bond considerations, domestic violence protective orders, personal safety orders, criminal arraignments and search warrants. Family court is having video hearings.
Last week, three positive tests in offices associated with the Kanawha County legal system led to closures to allow for cleaning.
Kanawha County Commissioner Ben Salango said an employee in the prosecutor’s office and another in the circuit clerk’s office have tested positive. That followed another employee in the circuit clerk’s office who had tested positive the prior week.
Salango also said additional safety measures have been put in place at the courthouse and judicial annex. Back in March when the COVID-19 pandemic started, seven Judicial Annex employees and the spouse of one of those employees tested positive. Until the three recent ones, no other employees had tested positive.
