Rockville Courthouse To Be 'Partially' Reopened

VERNON, CT — The Connecticut Judicial Branch is targeting the partial resumption of operations at Rockville Superior Court starting June 8, according to a Wednesday announcement by Chief Court Administrator Patrick L. Carroll III.

By "partial" Judge Carroll meant the courts continuing to use virtual proceedings in some cases. Strict safety measures will be in place for in-person matters, he said.

"This pandemic has created many challenges for the Judicial Branch but it has also created new opportunities – opportunities to develop and leverage innovative technologies to allow us to do more court business remotely, resulting in greater convenience and greater efficiency," Carroll said. "The Judicial Branch we left behind as this crisis emerged will not be the same Judicial Branch we return to."

Carroll said masks, social distancing, hand sanitizers, limitations on the number of people allowed in courtrooms and courthouses, and enhanced sanitization protocols are all "going to be with us for the foreseeable future."

The remote processing and handling of court matters via video conference "will all now be routine components of the court system," Carroll said.

The Judicial Branch, in a short time, has "significantly increased" its virtual capacity and, if funding allows, the plan is to expand virtual capabilities across all divisions — criminal, family, civil and juvenile," Carroll said.

What the courts have termed "priority 1 business" will continue to be handled in the open courthouses, Carroll said. Examples are arraignments of defendants held on bond, arraignments of defendants in any domestic violence cases, emergency child custody matters and juvenile detention hearings.

With the partial resumption of limited court operations in Rockville, cases from the court that had been transferred elsewhere will return to the original jurisdiction.

The days and hours of court business at all open courthouses will be Mondays, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and on Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. All courts will be closed on Tuesdays and Thursdays until further notice. These days and hours of operation are subject to further change in the coming days and weeks.

Cases from the Geographical Area Courthouse No. 12 in Manchester will be transferred to the Rockville Courthouse until further notice. Manchester was also closed in March with cases transferred to Hartford.

Carroll noted that other developments, including updated information regarding the Judicial Branch's expansion of remote capabilities and functions, will continue to be posted on the division's website and Tweeted.

"This remains a fluid situation, and frankly, there are some issues for which we don’t yet have solutions," he said. "As such, our planning process will be deliberate and careful, guided by the desire to provide for the health and safety of everyone who works in or enters a courthouse. There is no other way to do it."