Superior Court 4 policies

Family Law Days (Monday and Thursday)

1. All hearings of two hours or less shall be conducted remotely by videoconference as long as permitted by law.
2. Hearings of more than two hours shall be in person.  Only counsel and the parties shall attend.  Witnesses shall wait outside the building until they are called to testify.
3. Hearings will be set by dedicated appointment scheduling.  Therefore, the Court will be adhering to strict time limits and last minute continuances or technical difficulties on the parties’ part that prevent the hearing from taking place may result in a reset date months in the future.
4. For all hearings, all exhibits should be premarked (Petitioners use numbers and Respondents use letters) and efiled or emailed to the Court at least 24 hours in advance of the hearing.  A witness list and an exhibit list shall be efiled or emailed at least 24 hours in advance of the hearing.
5. The use of masks is recommended for in person hearings.
6. Hand sanitizer will be available for counsel and the parties.
7. Hand sanitizer is recommended prior to the handling of exhibits.
8. The audio of all proceedings will be livestreamed on the court’s webpage.

Civil Law Days (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday)

1. All pretrial conferences shall be conducted by telephone.
2. All arguments on motions shall be conducted by videoconference.
3. All evidentiary hearings of two hours or less shall be conducted by videoconference so long as permitted by law.
4. Evidentiary hearings longer than two hours and final pretrial conferences shall be conducted in person.  Only counsel and the parties may attend.  Only lead counsel and one client may sit at the table.  Witnesses must wait outside the building until they are called to testify.
5. The Court will be using dedicated appointment scheduling.  Therefore, the Court will be adhering to strict time limits and last minute continuances or technical difficulties on the parties’ part that prevent the hearing from taking place may result in a reset date months in the future.
6. For all hearings, all exhibits should be premarked (Plaintiffs use numbers and Defendants use letters) and efiled or emailed to the Court at least 24 hours in advance of the hearing.  A witness list and an exhibit list shall be efiled or emailed at least 24 hours in advance of the hearing.
7. The use of masks is recommended for in person hearings.
8. Hand sanitizer will be provided for counsel and the parties.
9. Hand sanitizer is recommended prior to the handling of exhibits.
10. The audio of all proceedings of record will be livestreamed on the Court’s webpage

Civil Collection Days (Wednesday afternoons)

1. Creditors’ counsel shall appear in person.
2. Debtors shall appear by telephone for their initial hearing.
3. If a contested matter needs to be reset, it will be conducted by videoconference (with dedicated appointment scheduling) as long as permitted by law.
4. The use of masks is recommended for those appearing in court.
5. Hand sanitizer will be provided for counsel and the parties.
6. Hand sanitizer is recommended prior to and after the handling of exhibits and entry sheets.
7. The audio of all proceedings of record will be livestreamed on the Court’s webpage.

Jury trials

1. No jury trials before July 1, 2020.
2. Jury trials will be conducted in person.
3. Only counsel and parties may attend.  Witnesses shall wait outside the building until they are called to testify.
4. Jury selection may be conducted by modified procedures and either remotely or in a location other than the courtroom.
5. Masks will be provided to potential jurors.
6. The use of masks is recommended for those appearing in court.Hand sanitizer will be provided for counsel and the parties.
7. Hand sanitizer is recommended prior to and after the handling of exhibits.
8. Eight copies of all exhibits shall be premarked and tendered to the Court at least five days prior to trial.
9. The audio of all proceedings of record will be livestreamed on the Court’s webpage.