Hingham District Court Extends Closure Due To Coronavirus

HINGHAM, MA—Hingham District Court & Juvenile Court has announced that it will extend its temporary closure due to another COVID-19 exposure.

The courthouse announced on Monday that it would be closed until Thursday, December 10 for cleaning purposes after an employee tested positive for the virus.

The Hingham District Court and Juvenile Court is closed for disinfecting and will reopen on Thursday, Dec. 10," says the district's website. " A member of the Clerk’s Office who was last at the courthouse on 12/3 has tested positive for COVID-19."

For other information, please visit mass.gov/courts," it continues. "Go to the courthouse locator to find a court's page and learn details on how it is directing emergency matters and for its email address. For general questions, contact the Trial Court Help Line at 1-833-91-COURT or 1-833-912-6878. Thank you."

The temporary closure of Hingham District & Juvenile Court comes after the state announced on December 4 that in-person appearances and operations in the court system would be reduced until January 8 due to the statewide increase in COVID-19 cases.

"This week’s daily COVID reports for Massachusetts and the Trial Court’s experience with staff testing and court closures have made it clear that we must continue the reduction of in-person court operations," said a press release from the state's court system.

"Today, the Trial Court’s COVID Court Operations Committee unanimously agreed that extending this practice through January 8, 2021, is the most appropriate action to safeguard staff and the public, in light of the exponential spread of the virus and the upcoming holidays, when people will likely gather," it continued.

Although Massachusetts courthouses have remained open, most Trial Court operations have been conducted remotely through video conferencing to prevent the spread of the virus.