Three L.A. County Courthouses Closed for Rest of Day Due to Safety Concerns
Three L.A. County Courthouses Closed for Rest of Day Due to Safety Concerns
by Contributing Editor
Three Los Angeles County courthouses were ordered closed for the remainder of the day Tuesday because of public safety concerns stemming from large-scale police protests, only hours after the court system re-opened following a one-day closure for the same reason.
The Criminal Courts Building and the Stanley Mosk Courthouse, both in downtown Los Angeles, and the Hollywood Courthouse were ordered to be shut down for the rest of the day “in the interest of the safety of the public, judicial officers, employees and others,” Presiding Justice Kevin C. Brazile said.
“The decision to close a courthouse is never made lightly, but public safety imperatives are my chief priority,” Brazile said.
The courthouses were among 38 that were ordered to be closed Monday following the issuance of a countywide curfew that took effect 6 p.m. Sunday amid widespread civil unrest. They were allowed to reopen Tuesday morning to handle “time-sensitive and essential functions.”
The following courthouses have been closed for some time because of COVID-19-related service reductions and remained closed all day Tuesday: Beverly Hills, Bellflower, Catalina, Central Civil West, East Los Angeles, Santa Clarita and Spring Street.
Nearly 80% of the 600 county courtrooms have been closed since Brazile issued a March 17 order to scale back operations to comply with state and county public health directives.
The court plans to reopen its clerk’s office operations on June 15, with a revised model that prioritizes access online and by telephone. Appointments will be required to meet in person in order to maintain social distancing.
Hearings are expected to resume gradually beginning June 22, and face masks or coverings will be mandatory for entry into any courthouse.
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All credit goes to Contributing Editor
Originally published on https://mynewsla.com
