The Williamson County Justice Center will reopen June 1 but visitors will be encouraged to wear masks in the lobby areas and required to wear them in courtrooms.
Justice of the Peace court hearings, meanwhile, won’t start until after June 15 with certain exceptions, according to the county. Any urgent or essential hearings will still be held by the justice of the peace courts.
The eviction moratorium issued by the Texas Supreme Court ended on May 18. To proceed with an eviction, a landlord must include in their petition a statement that the eviction case is not subject to the federal CARES Act, according to the county. The federal relief act blocks evictions for tenants who receive federal assistance.
Jury trials will not begin until the Office of Court Administration issues further guidelines.
Each Justice of the Peace judge and their personnel have been actively working on processes and protocols to successfully reopen the justice courts in their respective precincts, the county said.
Williamson County Justice of the Peace Judges Evelyn McLean, KT Musselman and Stacy Hackenberg plan to hold court remotely. Defendants will be notified with instructions on how to attend their virtual court hearing. Justice of the Peace Edna Staudt will hold court in person.
More information will be available in the coming weeks on the county website www.wilco.org, on each court’s web sites and social media platforms.
CORONAVIRUS IN TEXAS: What we know, latest updates
Credit: Source link
