LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Superior Court is implementing a two-week closure beginning on Wednesday in order to protect against the spread of COVID-19.
Court Executive Officer Krista LeVier said the closure will last from Wednesday, March 18, through Wednesday, April 1.
The last time the local courts were closed was in August 2018, when California Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye granted an emergency order to shut the courts in Lakeport due to the Ranch fire, which caused a mandatory evacuation of the city.
The courts had managed to stay open during the fall’s public safety power shutoffs thanks to generators purchased for the courthouse.
No cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, have so far been confirmed in Lake County. LeVier said the closure is out of “an abundance of caution to help limit the spread of the virus.”
LeVier also cited Gov. Gavin Newsom’s March 12 executive order that mandates compliance with state and local public health officials regarding measures to control the virus’ spread.
Then, on Monday, Lake County Public Health Officer Dr. Gary Pace issued Order No. c20-2 which prohibits any gatherings over 100 people and recommends that gatherings of less than 100 people be canceled. The order also requires that gatherings of 35 or more people comply with strict COVID-19 risk mitigation measures, including social distancing.
LeVier said that, in order to comply with Dr. Pace’s order and to protect court users and staff from the spread of COVID-19, the court has decided to implement the closure.
She said the court will consult with Dr. Pace to determine when it is safe to resume normal operations, resume limited operations or remain closed.
There is a “delicate balance between public safety and the timely administration of justice,” and court officials said that under Government Code Section 68115, the court has received an emergency order from Chief Justice Cantil-Sakauye to extend statutory timeframes and declare March 18 through April 1 court holidays.
During the two-week court closure, LeVier said the court will only handle in-custody arraignments, juvenile detentions and preliminary hearings in which time has not been waived.
Court clerk’s offices will be closed and the Self-Help Center will be closed, LeVier said.
She said all regular court calendars will be rescheduled. Notice of the new date will be sent to people or to their attorneys.
Jurors scheduled to appear will be rescheduled and sent a new notice, any restraining order currently in effect will be extended to the new hearing date and any family law temporary emergency orders will be extended and remain in effect until the new hearing date, LeVier reported.
Over the last several weeks, the Lake County Superior Court also has been consulting with the Judicial Council of California, which reported that it is closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation and sharing information with all courts.
The Judicial Council said it has advised courts to follow the guidance provided by the Department of Public Health, and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to limit the spread of the virus.
LeVier told Lake County News that in the lead up to the decision, the local judges – under the leadership of Presiding Judge Michael Lunas – had met to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on court operations.
They had met with Dr. Pace and taken a number of measures, including widely distributing hand sanitizer, sanitizing wipes and antibacterial cleaning spray in both its Clearlake and Lakeport locations, she said.
Court janitorial staff were directed to increase the nightly routine to disinfect and sanitize high use surfaces and public restrooms. She said the court also has N95 masks for individuals who appeared in court and seemed to be ill. The court also had planned to make masks available at the screening station in Lakeport.
On Monday, the Mendocino County Superior Court announced that it was limiting access to the courthouses in Fort Bragg and Ukiah. The court there is practicing social distancing, rescheduling some case appearances and vacating jury trials through the end of the month. Normal operations are due to resume there on Monday, April 6.
LeVier said the Lake County Superior Court will update the community on the quickly evolving situation with posts that can be found on its website.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.