Sacramento Superior Court will remain closed through the middle of April, except for emergency matters, the court’s presiding judge announced late Monday.

The new order extends Sacramento Superior Court Presiding Judge Russell Hom’s March 19 temporary order that shut down court operations through Monday.

Citing the “unsettled nature of the current public health risk from the COVID-19 virus,” Hom said in a statement that he will extend closures for two weeks at which time he will reassess whether to restrict court access and shrink staff at court facilities.

The actions mirror those at courthouses across the state that shut down to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

California Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye last week suspended jury trials for 60 days and on Saturday gave the go-ahead to courts to use video and audio technology to conduct court proceedings remotely and extended the time for arraignments and trials to be heard after unanimous emergency votes on both from the state’s judicial council.

More information on closures can be found on the Superior Court’s website.

This story was originally published March 31, 2020 at 12:41 PM.

Darrell Smith

The Sacramento Bee

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Darrell Smith is a local reporter for The Sacramento Bee. He joined The Bee in 2006 and previously worked at newspapers in Palm Springs, Colorado Springs and Marysville. Smith was born and raised at Beale Air Force Base and lives in Elk Grove.