MADISON – The Boone County Courthouse will remain closed until further notice following a positive COVID-19 test.
After an employee of the Boone County Prosecuting Attorney's office tested positive for COVID-19, the county's circuit court and magistrate court were closed effective immediately through August 7.
On August 7, Circuit Judge William S. Thompson entered an order extending that closure indefinitely.
"Magistrate Court will be closed until further order of this court, although they may hold emergency hearings, with the presiding magistrate determining what is an emergency," Thompson wrote. "Magistrates will remain on call to handle any emergencies or other matters in their discretion.
"The Circuit Court will conduct all of its hearings until further notice virtually, either by telephone or videoconferencing, unless an emergency dictates otherwise."
The order said Family Court will conduct hearings by telephone and may hear emergency matters, although what constitutes an emergency is up to the family court judge.
Also, the Boone County Circuit Clerk's office is open by appointment only.
Two other county courthouses already were shut down indefinitely because of the Coronavirus pandemic as well.
On Aug. 3, Logan Chief Circuit Judge Eric O'Briant signed an administrative order closing Logan CIrcuit Court, Logan County Magistrate Court and the Logan County Circuit Clerk's office until further notice. O'Briant's order cites the rise in number of COVID-19 cases in Logan County, and he says he consulted with the Logan County Health Department to make the decision.
A few hours later, Thompson signed an administrative order closing the Lincoln County Courthouse, also until further notice.
"This court has decided in order to protect the public, that all courts in Lincoln County will be closed with the exception of judicial emergencies," Thompson wrote. "This court will leave it to the presiding judicial officers to determine, after weighing the concerns of exposure to the COVID-19 along with the other interests of justice, as to what constitutes a judicial emergency."
Lincoln Circuit Court, Family Court and Magistrate Court will have telephone calls directed to lines to help those who call.
In Logan County, O'Briant said no in-person circuit court hearings or trials will take place except for emergencies or situations where constitutional rights will be violated or the hearings are required to protect the immediate health or safety of a party or the community. He said remote hearings can take place. The same goes for family courts and magistrate courts. Drug court clients and day report issues will be left to the discretion of the probation officer involved.
The Lincoln and Logan closures make six counties to have closed again in recent weeks because of 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.