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ZEBULON - Judge Chris Edwards signed an order for a Limited Declaration of Judicial Emergency and Emergency Order on Extension of Deadlines and Other Time Schedules concerning Pike County Magistrate Court on January 4, 2021.
The document declares a judicial emergency within the office of Pike County Magistrate Court and Clerk based on two of the four employees in the office having the Covid-19 infection. This was reported to the judge on January 3, 2021.
Order Only Affects Magistrate Court
The only court affected by this order is Magistrate Court, and no scheduled or ordered court hearings are cancelled by this court order.
Public access to the courthouse and operation of all other offices within the courthouse are unaffected by this order.
As authorized by OCGA 38-3-61(b), the Office of the Pike County Magistrate Court and its Clerk is hereby ordered closed, and inaccessible to the public for 14 days from 12:01 a.m. on Monday, January 4, 2021 through 12:01 a.m. on Monday, January 18, 2021.
The Clerk of Court and all employees of the Clerk’s Office are ordered to quarantine at home or at the residence of their choice for 14 days and are requested to cooperate with the Department of Public Health to allow tracing of non-employees and others at high risk of exposure.
According to the order, Magistrate Court employees who are quarantined but are not ill are requested to work from home, to accept e-filings, and provide all possible services remotely as allowed by the technology that may be provided by the county and to the extent authorized by the law.
The Clerk and every Clerk’s Office employee are requested to take a Covid-19 test on January 13, 2021 at the county’s expense as that will be the 10th day of quarantine. All Magistrate employees must obtain a negative test result before they are allowed to return to work.
Obtaining Warrants and Filing Stalking and Family Violence Actions
Law Enforcement Officers may present to any judge authorized by law any proposed arrest, search, etc. warrants, and a warrant case number shall be entered upon each warrant at the time of issuance by calling a Magistrate Court employee for a case number.
Access to justice in filing stalking actions and family violence actions is of extreme importance to the court so those wishing to file a new stalking or family violence action should contact the chambers of Judge Scott Ballard who is assigned to all Pike County cases. His office can be reached at 770-716-4272.
Deadlines and Time Schedules Are Suspended
The order suspends deadlines throughout the length of this emergency for the following: 1) the time within which to file any complaint or responsive reading, 2) the time within which discovery or any aspect thereof is to be completed, 3) the time in which to serve a party, 4) the time within which to appeal or seek the right to appeal any order, ruling, or other determination, 5) all motions, briefs, trials, hearings and corresponding deadlines, and 6) all discovery and deadlines.
All suspensions will end on 12:01 a.m. on January 18, 2021 without further order.
Closing
New actions and other pleadings and documents may be e-filed at any time in Magistrate Court since Magistrate Court employees who are well will be quarantined but working from home.
Magistrate Court will reopen to the public on Monday, January 18, 2021 at 9 a.m.
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