Restrictions in place at new courthouse due to coronavirus

The new Cape Girardeau County Courthouse in Jackson will open today under unusual circumstances. Rarely, if ever, has a courthouse opened during a pandemic.

As a result, a set of rules have been issued court personnel and courthouse visitors are to follow under “phase one” of Missouri’s three-phase COVID-19 recovery plan as outlined by Gov. Mike Parson. The rules will limit access to the courthouse and court proceedings at least through the rest of this month.

“All circuit, associate circuit and municipal divisions of the 32nd Judicial Circuit will begin operations subject to the operational directives set out in this administrative order,” according Presiding Judge Ben Lewis, who said the order will remain in effect until further directives are issued.

The directive includes the following list of bulleted items, quoted verbatim from the order:

• No person exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms or who has been exposed to a person exhibiting those symptoms may enter a court facility.
• Personnel will be positioned at every public entrance to turn away any person who is prohibited by this order from entering the facility.
• Only litigants, witnesses and attorneys will be admitted to the building. Family members and supporters must remain outside. If a litigant believes he or she cannot proceed without support, the litigant should contact his or her attorney and request a continuance. The press will be admitted upon reasonable request.
• A maximum of 10 people per public room is encouraged where possible. This number will not include court personnel in the courtrooms.
• The use of face masks by litigants and staff is encouraged but not required. The court has no masks to distribute.
• Everyone will exercise social distancing. Tape markers will be placed at the courthouse entrances and within courtrooms where necessary to indicate spacing of six feet. Seating in courtrooms will be designated at six-foot intervals.
• Court personnel will work in shifts when possible and vulnerable court personnel will work from home.
• All facilities will be cleaned as much as possible and everyone will practice good hand-washing and protective hygiene.
• All jury trials are suspended through July 6 and this suspension may be extended.
• Matters involving vulnerable individuals may be taken up by video conferencing where possible and, where that is not possible, continuances shall be granted liberally.
• A copy of this order shall be posted at every public entrance to each court facility.

The directives “must remain in effect until at least May 31 and they may be extended if the incidence of COVID-19 significantly increases above the current relatively low level,” Lewis said in an email about the courthouse regulations during the coronavirus outbreak.

“This order is for phase one. We will hopefully progress through phases two and three if we do not see a worsening of COVID-19 in the three counties of our circuit,” Lewis continued. “In the event of a dangerous increase in the incidence of COVID-19, the court may revert to phase zero or a complete closure of the court.”