As Orange County shuts courts to public amid coronavirus fears, efforts underway to keep keys parts of justice system functioning
A day after concerns about the coronavirus forced the unprecedented public closure of Orange County courthouses, local court and law enforcement officials were still at work Tuesday determining how key functions of the criminal justice system will go forward in the face of a pandemic.
An emergency order from the California Supreme Court late Monday allowed court officials to close all public Orange County Court facilities until at least March 30, halting any upcoming jury trials.
Active jury trials have been left to the individuals judge’s discretion, though coronavirus concerns have already led to pauses in some criminal proceedings, including a pair of ongoing murder trials.
Still to be determined is how arraignments for in-custody defendants, as well as other key pretrial hearings, will be handled as court officials balance the rights of the accused to have their hearings occur in a timely manner against the concern for public health.
In light of the temporary court changes, prosecutors will be prioritizing felony filings along with a handful of misdemeanors such as DUI’s, domestic violence and sexual assault, said Kimberly Edds, an Orange County District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman.
Other misdemeanors will be filed “in a manner which will prevent the court from being overwhelmed when court operations return to order,” Edds said.
Prosecutors are looking for defendants facing low-level offenses who can be released from custody pending future court dates rather than being taken to Orange County Jail, Edds said.
The DA’s office is also providing direction to law enforcement on how to watch out for price gouging and potential looting, Edds added. Residents who believe price-gouging has taken place are being asked to report it through an online complaint form at www.orangecountyda.org.
Along with criminal matters, court officials also are working on plans to deal with a variety of other matters – including civil, family law, juvenile and probate courts – that make up the bulk of the courts normal workflow.