BY: RAY KING
The Arkansas Supreme Court has issued a series of orders dealing with the COVID-19 Pandemic and those orders are being implemented in the courts of Jefferson County.
Circuit Judge Rob Wyatt Jr., on Wednesday issued an order prohibiting people who have been exposed to COVID-19 or who exhibit symptoms of COVID-19 such as fever, shortness of breath or coughing from entering the courthouse.
Wyatt’s order followed an order from Arkansas Supreme Court Chief Justice John Dan Kemp which among other things suspends all in-person court proceedings in all appellate, circuit and district courts subject to a few exceptions. Those exceptions include proceedings necessary to protect the rights of criminal defendants and juveniles, including but not limited to criminal first appearances, probable cause hearings, speedy trial cases where the victims are under 14 years of age, juvenile detention hearings, and proceedings dealing with emergency child custody cases.
Also excluded are proceedings for adult protective services, proceedings directly related to COVID-19 and other exceptions approved by the chief justice.
In his order, Wyatt said if a person is prohibited from entering the courthouse, they can remotely contact Circuit Clerk Lafayette Woods Sr., (870-541-5306 or 870-541-5453 (fax) Probate Clerk Shawandra Taggart 870-541-5322 or 870-541-5324, First Division Circuit Judge Alex Guynn 870-541-5368 or 870-541-5370 case coordinator [email protected]; Second Division Circuit Judge Robert H. Wyatt Jr., 870-5465 or 870-541-5337 (fax) [email protected] Third Division Circuit Judge Bill Benton 870-541-5381 or 870-541-5380 (fax) [email protected]: Fourth Division Circuit Judge Leon Jamison 870-541-5385 or 870-541-5385 (fax) [email protected]; Fifth Division Circuit Judge Jodi Raines Dennis 870-541-5377 or 870-541-536-2776 [email protected]; Sixth Division Circuit Judge Earnest E. Brown Jr., 870-541-5461 or 870-541-5464 (fax) [email protected]
Wyatt said the order would be in effect until further notice.
