Douglasville Municipal Court Resumes On May 20

Press release from the City of Douglasville:

May 12, 2020

Douglasville Municipal Court will resume court sessions on Wednesday, May 20th. Please contact us via email at dvillemuni@douglasvillega.gov if you have a change of address so that any and all communication can be sent to you as needed.

Here are the guidelines for Court when it reopens:

NOTICE

In response to the threat posed by the COVID-19 virus, Douglasville Municipal Court has implemented changes to our procedures. We hope that you understand that these changes are not to inconvenience you, but to ensure everyone’s safety, while allowing us to handle judicial matters efficiently.

The following guidelines will be strictly enforced for the safety of all defendants and court staff:

1. If you or a member of your household have been exposed to the COVID-19 virus in the last two weeks, please contact our office to receive further instructions regarding your hearing.
2. Only Defendants will be allowed into the courtroom. Do not bring children, spouses or other family members to your scheduled hearing. If you do not have childcare, we will allow you one reset for this reason. Please call our office prior to your court date to reschedule.
3. Defendants who are 60 years of age or older and defendants with medical conditions who feel uncomfortable coming to court due to increased risk, we will allow you one reset for this reason. Please call our office prior to your court date to reschedule.
4. Defendants who require an interpreter for court proceedings should contact our office at 678-293-1858 prior to your court date. (LOS acusados que requieran un interprete, comuniquense de inmediato al telefono 678-293-1858 para obtener mas informacion).
5. We are on a very strict time schedule. You have been assigned a specific court time. Court personnel will ask for your name and date of birth to confirm your scheduled time. Please arrive no earlier than 15 minutes before your scheduled time to allow for new COVID-19 procedures before entering our courtroom. Due to social distancing guidelines, you may only appear for your hearing at this specified time. If you are late, you will be given a new court date and time. If you arrive late a second time, a $200 failure to appear fee will be added to your case.
6. The court will follow all guidelines of social distancing with six feet distancing markers. Please adhere to all signage and markings.
7. Court Security will use a temperature scanner to ensure that defendants with temperatures higher than CDC guidelines are not allowed in the courtroom.
8. Court Security will ask questions concerning your health.
9. If you have your own mask, you are welcome to wear it. You must wear a face covering the entire time you are in the Public Safety Building and the Courtroom. If you do not have a mask, one will be provided to you. NO ONE WILL BE PERMITTED IN THE COURTROOM WITHOUT A MASK.
10. A clerk will instruct you where to enter the courtroom and where to sit.
11. Our court room is being sanitized after every court day for the safety of the public and our staff.

This press release was produced by the City of Douglasville. The views expressed here are the author’s own.