Emergency Court Closure

GR 21 EMERGENCY COURT CLOSURE (a) Generally. A court may be closed if weather, technological failure or other hazardous or emergency conditions or events are or become such that the safety and welfare of the employees are threatened or the court is unable to operate or demands immediate action to protect the court, its employees or property. Closure may be ordered by the chief justice, the presiding chief judge, presiding judge or other judge so designated by the affected court in their discretion during the pendency of such conditions or events. (b) Order and Notification. Whenever a court is closed in accordance with section (a), the chief justice, presiding chief judge, presiding judge or other judge directing the closure of the court shall enter an administrative order closing the court which shall be filed with the clerk of the affected court. It shall also be the responsibility of the chief justice, the presiding chief judge, the presiding judge or other judge so designated by the affected court to notify the Office of the Administrator for the Courts of any decision to close a court. All oral notifications to the Office of the Administrator for the Courts shall be followed as soon as practicable with a written statement outlining the condition or event necessitating such action and the length of such closure. (c) Filings and Hearings--Time Extended. Reserved. See GR 3. [Adopted effective October 19, 1999. Amended effective January 1, 2023.]