MADISON – After an employee of the Boone County Prosecuting Attorney's office tested positive for COVID-19, the county's circuit court and magistrate court is closed for the next week.
Boone County Family Court will remain open and operating on a regular schedule.
The state Supreme Court issued an administrative order about the closure, effective at noon on July 31. The two courts will remain closed through the end of the day August 7.
Magistrate Courts will be open for emergencies. Circuit Court will operate with a limited state and will conduct all hearings virtually.
The Boone closure is the fourth county to close this month related to the Coronavirus pandemic.
On July 20, Raleigh County judges met and decided to close the Raleigh County Judicial Center for a week for deep cleaning after employee in the circuit clerk’s office was diagnosed, and that office was closed for cleaning. Two other judicial annex employees later tested positive. It reopened July 27.
Also, the Monongalia County Justice Center closed the same week to non-essential business after two employees tested positive. It also reopened July 27.
The week before that, three positive tests in offices associated with the Kanawha County legal system led to closures to allow for cleaning.