Major changes in the operation of Jasper County Circuit Court due to COVID-19 concerns will go into effect Tuesday as a result of an administrative order issued today.
The changes will continue through at least Friday, March 27.
From the administrative order:
1. The Presiding Judge’s Secretary is Ordered and authorized to suspend the impaneling of Jurors for the weeks of March 16, 2020 and March 23, 2020. All jury trials scheduled for the weeks of March 16, 2020 and March 23, 2020 are hereby continued and will be rescheduled to a later date.
2. In all criminal cases, including probation revocation matters, where the defendant is in detention at the Jasper County Jail or otherwise in custody at any other detention center or at any other prison, said defendants shall not be personally transported to or brought into court for any hearing.
All hearings regarding any such defendants shall be conducted via videoconferencing, including initial appearances, bond reviews and arraignment hearings. Judicial officers have the discretion to allow attorneys to appear by telephone if appropriate and cancel/continue hearings as appropriate and consistent with this Administrative Order.
Victims have the statutory right to participate in hearings-that right is not changed by this Administrative Order. However, Judges are encouraged to identify alternative methods for victims to participate in any hearings. All criminal cases where the defendant is not in custody shall be postponed and rescheduled.
3. All large volume, high volume and/or multi-case dockets, including but not limited to, Associate Circuit Court high volume dockets, Circuit Court civil case management dockets, Associate and Circuit Court domestic “call dockets”, landlord/tenant dockets/cases, small claims dockets/cases, uncontested dissolution dockets/cases, traffic and municipal dockets/cases, treatment court dockets, shall be postponed and rescheduled, provided however that each judicial officer has the discretion to conduct said dockets via telephone or videoconferencing in lieu of postponement/continuance.
4. Pursuant to Section 455.040.1 RsMo. And for good cause as demonstrated in this Administrative Order, all hearings on full orders of protection that are scheduled for the weeks of March 16, 2020 and March 23, 2020 will be continued for two weeks from the date of the currently scheduled hearing. All Ex Parte Orders of Protection currently in existence will be extended by operation of this Administrative Order until the new hearing date.
5. Separate from the above matters, individual hearings on specific criminal, civil, domestic and probate cases will proceed as currently scheduled unless the specific Judge assigned to that case takes action pursuant to this Administrative Order.
Judicial officers are strongly encouraged to conduct any such hearings via videoconferencing if possible or consider alternative means to conduct said hearings.
Additionally, judicial officers are strongly encouraged to continue such hearings consistent with this Administrative Order and guidelines from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention.
6. Regarding hearings scheduled in the Juvenile Division of Jasper County, all detention hearings and protective custody hearings will proceed as scheduled. Hearings for juveniles held in judicial custody within the Jasper County Juvenile Detention Center shall be held.
All other hearings in abuse and neglect cases shall be continued and rescheduled. Termination of parental rights cases, adoptions, and transfer of custody cases shall be rescheduled during this two week period.
7. Probate cases involving 96-hour and 21-day mental health involuntary detentions and emergency guardianships will be heard as scheduled.
8. All Municipal Courts supervised by the Presiding Judge of the 29th Judicial Circuit are subject to this Administrative Order and are encouraged to take appropriate action consistent with this Administrative Order and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.
9. Judicial officers shall have the discretion to exclude any individuals from their courtrooms, in order to comply with the recommendations of the CDC;
10. All nonessential court-related travel for staff and judicial officers is canceled through the end of March 2020. 11. This Administrative Order only applies to matters scheduled during the weeks of March 16, 2020 and March 23, 2020. Additional Administrative Orders will address matters scheduled for the weeks that follow.
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