Date: March 16, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: DaLanna Nichols, Court Administrator
Tel. (785) 537-6363
COURT REMAINS OPEN, TAKES PRECAUTIONS:
CANCELLATION OF ALL JURY TRIALS THROUGH APRIL 20, 2020
Today, Chief Judge Grant Bannister addressed precautions taken for COVID-19 by issuing Administrative Order 20-01.
As it performs essential functions, the Riley County District Court REMAINS OPEN. Health care professionals advise that we should all minimize contact to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. The District Court intends to take the following reasonable measures toward that end:
Juries: The Court has a reduced ability to obtain an adequate spectrum of jurors. The availability of counsel and Court staff is also impacted. All jury trials scheduled through April 20, 2020, are CONTINUED pending further Order of the Court. Any juror that received a summons for trials from March 17 through April 20, 2020 does not need to report to the courthouse on the assigned date on your summons.
Litigants: The following dockets scheduled from March 17, 2020 through April 3, 2020 will be continued to a future date: Limited Action Dockets; Small Claims Dockets; Traffic Dockets; First Appearance Dockets (except those scheduled by video); and Monday Criminal Dockets.
If you have a case scheduled and begin to feel ill, you should consider the following:
Contact the opposing party or attorney to explore an agreed continuance.
If there is no agreement, contact the division presiding over your case to advise if you are unable to attend court. Judges will consider on a case-by-case basis whether a continuance of the court date is in order.
Marriages: No new wedding ceremonies will be scheduled prior to April 3, 2020. This date may be extended. For previously scheduled weddings only necessary parties and witnesses should attend. The presiding Judge may move weddings to the courtyard or elsewhere.
The current situation is one that presents challenges to the Court’s normal operating procedures. We are looking at all of the ways in which we might temporarily alter those procedures to minimize risk while still attending to the Court’s core responsibilities. We appreciate the cooperation and patience of the public as we work to implement these changes in procedure.
Visit www.rileycountyks.gov/190/District-Court for up-to-date information.
Enc. A-O 20-01
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