Some courts in West Virginia will resume in-person hearings on Monday but Monongalia County will not be among them because it’s considered a COVID-19 hot spot.
According to a West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals order, in-person hearings and proceedings may commence on Monday, grand jury proceedings can start on June 15 and jury trials can start on June 29.
Hot spots, such as Monongalia County, can start proceedings on those days or seven days after the county obtains green status, whichever is later, the court ordered.
Monongalia County Magistrate Court and Morgantown Municipal court are currently scheduled to open on June 1.
The May term of the Monongalia County grand jury has been canceled and Prosecutor Perri DeChristopher has requested the next grand jury convene on June 17.
DeChristopher said her office will have to be more selective in the cases it presents because of the shorter term, the loss of a term and cases that were still on-going when the pandemic hit that still need to be resolved.
When court hearings do resume, anyone entering the Monongalia County Justice Center will need to have a mask, Chief Judge Debra Scudiere said.
People will have their temperature taken when they enter the building and there is a focus on disinfecting, especially door handles and elevator buttons, she said. There will also be signs indicating the maximum number of people allowed in an area, such as a courtroom or elevator.
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Morgantown Area News
'Sunday, December 22, 2024'
