Dougherty courts to re-open on Monday with safety precautions in place

ALBANY — With the decline in new coronavirus cases in recent weeks, Dougherty County’s Courthouse will reopen in a limited capacity on Monday as will other city and county governmental buildings.

Among the reopenings is the Dougherty County Library System, on a limited basis.

Entrance to the buildings comes with some restrictions as members of the public will be required to wear masks and practice social distancing. Employees also will be required to wear masks and follow guidelines.

At the Judicial Building, the Dougherty County Sheriff’s Office and civilian security officers will use thermometers to check temperatures, and those with high temperatures will not be allowed inside. Employees also will operate under protective measures.

The move to re-open court offices comes after Georgia Chief Supreme Court Justice Harold Melton developed a set of procedures to minimize the spread of the coronavirus. Courts will re-open on July 12 under the current schedule.

“All of the courts in Dougherty County have approved a set of guidelines,” said Dougherty County Chief Superior Court Judge Willie Lockette.

Judges will continue to conduct business by phone and online, but members of the public will be able to access the courthouse. Lockette advised that people make appointments prior to showing up at court offices and not to bring additional people, including children, unless absolutely necessary.

In addition to masks and temperature screening, those entering the courthouse will be asked a set of questions meant to determine if they could have been exposed to someone who is sick with the coronavirus over the previous 30 days. In instances where someone may have been in contact with an infected person is coming to court for a hearing, that procedure will be rescheduled.

Court personnel also may advise paying a fine online or participating in a hearing via a teleconference.

Court employees with a high temperature will be sent home.

“Court personnel will enforce social distancing, outside and in all areas of the court,” Lockette said. “In each courtroom or hearing room or hallways, they will be (required) to ensure social distancing at all times.”

Hearing rooms will have markings that indicate social distancing, which will limit capacity. Between each hearing, custodial staff will disinfect the rooms.

“These are just some of the public health guidelines contained in the order re-opening the courts,” Lockette said. “The judges recognize clearly that there is a need for the public to have access to the courthouse and the courts. We also recognize the pandemic is not over. We’re going to be watchful of how this works.

“Finally, we ask the public, as it has been, please be patient. Please understand what we are doing and why we are doing it.”

For a complete list of court guidelines, visit http://dougherty.ga.us/filestorage/1800/379008/379647/Guidelines.pdf.

Albany and Dougherty County governmental buildings also are reopening on Monday, including the Government Center and other offices.

Under the first phase, some county employees, including department managers and essential workers who have been working online, will return to their offices.

If favorable trends in terms of containing the coronavirus continue, additional employees will return to the workplace during the second phase of re-opening. In the third phase, normal operations will resume.

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