Jury Duty, Courts: Riverside County Justice System Amid COVID-19

PLEASE SEE MARCH 19 UPDATE HERE: 8 Riverside County Courts Close; 6 Open For Emergencies Only

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA (March 17, 2020) — Court proceedings in Riverside County are now impacted by coronavirus. Certain cases will be heard at a later date, while others will proceed, according to an announcement Tuesday afternoon from Marita C. Ford, spokesperson for Riverside Superior Court.

Additionally, jury duty service is being postponed. People who have been summoned should not show up but instead request a postponement (see more below).

"The actions are not in response to a specific notice of [COVID-19] exposure at any court facility; rather, they are being taken to exercise the precautions necessary to maintain the safety and well being of those who visit the courthouse, and to consolidate court operations during the COVID-19 pandemic," the released statement read.

At the request of Riverside Superior Court, the Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court has issued an emergency order that allows the following actions to take place at all Riverside Superior Court facilities, including Banning, Indio, Murrieta and Riverside:

Criminal Cases:

• The courts will continue to hear in-custody arraignments for both misdemeanor and felony cases and gun violence restraining orders.
• All criminal jury trials are continued for 14 days. Criminal jury trials that are in-progress will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
• See below for information from the Riverside County District Attorney's Office*

Civil Cases:

• The courts will continue to hear civil harassments, other types of civil restraining orders, ex-parte applications, and name change petitions.
• Unlimited and limited civil trials are suspended until May 25, 2020. Civil trials that are in-progress will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
• All other matters will be conducted via the phone and by a judge’s order, or continued as needed.

Probate:

• Courts will continue to hear temporary guardianship and temporary conservatorship cases, LPS conservatorships, elder abuse restraining orders, Riese hearings, and ex-parte applications.
• All other matters will be continued with the exception of those that can be conducted via the phone.
• Probate investigator in-person interviews are postponed until further notice.

Family Law:

• The courts will continue to hear domestic violence restraining orders and ex-parte applications.
• All other matters will be continued. Telephonic appearance may be ordered on a case-by-case basis.

Juvenile:

• Courts will continue to hear detention hearings, contested and uncontested jurisdiction hearings, requests to re-enter foster care, restraining order applications and ex-parte applications.
• All other matters will be continued with the exception of those that can be conducted telephonically.

Traffic:

• Courts will postpone all traffic matters for 30 days. Traffic court trials will be postponed for 14 days.
• Night court traffic matters will be suspended for 30 days and matters already scheduled will be continued.

Small Claims:

• The courts will postpone all small claims matters for 90 days.
• Night court small claims matters will be suspended for 90 days and matters already scheduled will be continued.

Unlawful Detainers:

• Courts will postpone all unlawful detainer matters for 60 days.

Anyone feeling ill and/or experiencing flu-like symptoms, has a fever, is coughing or sneezing, should not come to the courthouse, Ford said.

People are strongly encouraged to conduct judicial business remotely, if possible, and the court is encouraging people to file documents online through the eSubmit Document Submission Portal.

The $1.85 eSubmit transaction fee has been suspended through June 30, 2020.

Telephone appearances are available for hearings that have not been continued.

For options on how to conduct court business remotely, visit www.riverside.courts.ca.gov (Court’s Response to Coronavirus).

If you have been summoned for jury service, you should request a postponement through one of the following:

• Log on to the Juror Web Portal
• Use the automated phone system at: 951.275.5076 or 760.342.6264
• Send an email to:

JuryRiv@riverside.courts.ca.gov – Riverside or Banning Courts

JurySW@riverside.courts.ca.gov –Murrieta Court

JuryInd@riverside.courts.ca.gov –Indio Court

*Separate from the Riverside Superior Court announcement, Riverside County District Attorney’s Office spokesperson John Hall said Tuesday the DA's has suspended normal court operations other than those essential to the criminal justice system and has reduced the hours its office will be open to the public.

The office will continue to handle in-custody filings and other essential government functions.

Countywide, offices will be open to the public only during the hours of 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The DA's Division of Victim Services is available and on-call for any needs or emergencies victims may have, and its Bureau of Investigation will remain fully staffed and operational during this time.

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