The North Carolina Supreme Court has ordered several directives affecting the operation of the North Carolina court system aimed at protecting public safety during the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19).
In an order entered on March 13, 2020, the Chief Justice has directed that local courts postpone most cases in district and superior court for at least 30 days in North Carolina. While the work of the courts must continue and courts remain open, the first priority of the court system must be the health and safety of the public and of the employees who serve them.
Coronavirus is a pretty big deal. The actor Tom Hanks and his wife were infected with Coronavirus earlier this week. The NBA suspended its season due to the virus. Schools and restaurants are even shutting down due the the Coronavirus.
Hopefully the Coronavirus doesn’t turn anyone into zombies.
Chief Justice Beasley says:
“We must be proactive in taking steps to prioritize the health and safety of our fellow North Carolinians while also maintaining the integrity of our judicial system. Today’s order will allow us to drastically reduce the exposure caused by crowded sessions of court, which often bring hundreds of people at a time into our courthouses.”
Effective Monday, March 16, superior court and district court proceedings will be rescheduled for at least 30 days, with some exceptions.
