LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Nevada Eighth Judicial District Court is suspending in-person court business including trials and implementing other COVID-19 safety measures.
The order is as follows:
Effective November 25, 2020 through January 11, 2021, due to restrictions on entrants to court facilities and to reduce the potential for the spread of coronavirus, appearances by alternative means are required by all lawyers and litigants, with the exception of in-custody defendants appearing in the Lower Level Arraignment courtroom. This includes all case types. No in-person appearances shall be made by lawyers or litigants unless the assigned District Court judge or hearing master determines that there is an extraordinary circumstance requiring a personal appearance.
Video appearance is strongly preferred over other methods of appearance by alternative means, and required in criminal, dependency, and delinquency cases, unless prevented by technological issues. Lawyers representing indigent clients are urged to provide assistance to clients who do not have the independent ability to appear by alternative means.
1. All appearances through Jan. 11 must be by alternative means unless the assigned judge determines there is some extraordinary circumstances that require a personal appearance.
2. Jury trials are suspended until Jan. 11.
3. The Clerk’s Office will remain closed to in-person filing until Jan. 11.
4. An order that requires masks at all times in court facilities will remain in effect.
5. No in-person meetings are to be conducted.
6. Family Mediation Center will be handling mediations remotely and rescheduling child interviews and child/parent observations until after Jan. 11.
7. Donna’s House will remain open by appointment only, but will need to operate at 25 percent capacity or less.
8. Self-help centers are closed to in-person assistance. The Civil Legal Aid Self-Help Center can be reached at 702-671-3976 or flshcinfo@lacsn.org on Mondays through Thursdays, from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. For assistance from the Family Law Self-Help Center call 702-455-1500 or visit slshcinfo@lacswww.FamilyLawSelfHelpCenter.org on Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
9. Hearings on Jan. 4 and Jan 5 should be moved, except initial arraignment court, TPO, and dependency and delinquency matters to conduct move operations.
The District Court is closely monitoring local developments in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and is implementing measures to prevent the spread of infection in our community. The District Court judges and staff are doing everything possible to continue to serve the community in a safe and judicious manner.
