KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The latest COVID-19 surge in Clay County led Presiding Judge David P. Chamberlain to postpone most hearings and trials in addition to requiring masks at the Rooney Justice Center.
Chamberlain issued an administrative order Wednesday, citing the high transmission rate for COVID-19 in the county, a vaccination rate below 50% and multiple COVID-19 cases within the Rooney Justice Center in suspending hearings and trials, except for proceedings that deal with:
- Constitutional rights of criminal defendants;
- Juvenile delinquency and abuse, neglect and the termination of parental rights;
- Adoption;
- Jury trials already in progress, at trial judge’s discretion;
- Orders of protection;
- Emergency child custody orders;
- Temporary restraining orders or other temporary injunctive relief requests;
- Emergency mental health orders;
- Other proceedings deemed necessary to conduct by the court.
Trials and hearings impacted by the closure will be rescheduled through the Clay County Circuit Court Clerk’s office.
Some hearings may be conducted via Webex.
The order also applies to Clay County’s Juvenile Court Building, but it does not impact municipal courts in Clay County.
