The Chronicle

Citing the growing number of COVID-19 cases in Washington state, Lewis County Superior Court issued a general order Monday delaying jury selection and trials until after March 23.

The order affects jury panels scheduled to report between March 9 and March 23 and trials scheduled in the same time period. Other court hearings are not affected at this time.

The order is provided for in the court’s General Rule 21, which states that a court can be closed “if weather, technological failure or other hazardous emergency conditions or events are or become such that the safety and welfare of the employees are threatened or the court is unable to operate or demands immediate action to protect the court, its employees or property.”

The order is based on information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and recommendations from Lewis County’s Public Health Officer Dr. Rachel Wood and Lewis County Public Health and Social Services.

Superior Court will remain open and staff will be onsite.