Legal Division: 330-725-9722 Title Division: 877-722-0016
Clerk of Courts News

TEMPORARY COVID-19 CHANGES

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TEMPORARY ORDER IN RESPONSE TO THE
COVID-19 (CORONAVIRUS) PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS

 

The General Division of the Medina County Court of Common Pleas hereby makes the following findings:

  1. On March 9, 2020, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine issues Executive Order 2020-01D “Declaring a State of Emergency” in response to the growing COVID-19 public health crisis.
  2. On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization officially declared COVID-19 to be global “pandemic” requiring “urgent and aggressive action“ to control the spread of the virus.

Based upon these findings, the General Division of the Court of Common Pleas has developed a continuum of flexible responses in the event the public health crisis escalates. The continuum of responses is intended to protect public health, to maintain essential court functions, and to continue to protect the rights of all individuals subject to the authority of the Court.

THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED:

  1. The General Division Local Rules may be temporarily adapted to allow Court flexibility, within constitutional limits, in response to the public health crisis.
  2. The General Division security policies may be temporarily amended or supplemented to protect public health while maintaining essential court functions.
  3. The General Division hereby authorizes the use of audio/visual devices and technologies for all actions and proceedings, including the filing of pleadings and motions by way of fax machine to (330) 764-8791. The Medina County Clerk of Courts is required and hereby ordered to accept the faxed pleadings and motions as originals.
  4. The public health crisis may be considered to be a finding of “just cause” for continuances deemed necessary by assigned Judges on a case-by-case basis.
  5. The Court will have the lawful authority, within constitutional limits, to do and direct to be done all things necessary to ensure the orderly and efficient administration of justice for the duration of the declared public health crisis.

The Clerk of Courts is ordered to serve this Journal Entry on the Medina County Bar Association, the Medina County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Medina County Public Defender’s Office. A copy of this Journal Entry will be posted on the websites of each General Division Judge in an effort to convey the contents of the Journal Entry to the public and the local media outlets.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

 

HONORABLE CHRISTOPHER J. COLLIER
ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE

HONORABLE JOYCE V. KIMBLER
JUDGE

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