What process do I need to follow to close our court on a temporary/emergency basis? What are the requirements for notification set by court rule?


General Court Rule 21(a), Emergency Court Closure, provides "A court may be closed if weather, technological failure or other hazardous or emergency conditions or events are or become such that the safety and welfare of the employees are threatened or the court is unable to operate or demands immediate action to protect the court, its employees or property."

Procedure

Closure of a court may be ordered by the Chief Justice, presiding judge, or other judge so designated by the affected court. The judge must sign an administrative order closing the court and file the original order with the clerk of the affected court. (Click here for examples of administrative orders.)

As soon as practicable, the judge who directs the closure of the court or his or her designee shall notify the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) of the decision.

The judge or designee may notify the AOC by using one of the following options:

  1. Preferred method:   Open the Court Closure and Emergency Modifications to Operations Form at Inside Courts, fill out the information required and click the "Submit Notification" button
    Or,
  2. Telephone AOC Customer Services at 800-442-2169, option 1. A Customer Service representative will help generate an electronic form that satisfies the AOC notification requirements of GR 21.

Notification of court closure to AOC will automatically post an announcement on the Public Courts and the "Inside Courts" web sites.

It is not necessary to send a copy of the court closure order to AOC.

Click "Court Closure and Emergency Modifications to Operations " to go straight to the online procedure and form for processing.




RN id: 2262