New order issued by Chief Justice Paul Newby
RALEIGH — Chief Justice Paul Newby issued an order today extending emergency directives an additional 30 days in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The dangers posed by COVID-19 remain serious, and Chief Justice Newby’s order encourages local judicial officials to adopt appropriate safety precautions in addition to those mandated by the order. The emergency directives contained in the order are effective March 15, 2021, and expire on April 11, 2021.
The following emergency directives from the January 14, 2021, order remain in effect:
Emergency Directive 2 (Persons likely exposed to COVID-19 should not enter the courthouse)
Emergency Directive 3 (Remote proceedings)
Emergency Directive 5 (Verification of pleadings and other filings)
Emergency Directive 8 (Continued performance of marriage ceremonies)
Emergency Directive 11 (COVID-19 coordinator)
Emergency Directive 12 (COVID-19 prevention measures)
Emergency Directive 14 (Submission of filings to clerk of court)
Emergency Directive 15 (Extension of filing deadlines for mailed filings)
Emergency Directive 21 (Face coverings in court facilities)
Read the full order here: 15 March 2021 7A-39(b)(2) Order Extending Emergency Directives.
About North Carolina Judicial Branch
The North Carolina Judicial Branch is an equal and distinctively separate branch and core function of government. More than 6,400 Judicial Branch employees statewide administer justice in courthouses in North Carolina’s 100 counties. The Judicial Branch budget for FY 2019–20 was $578.4M, nearly 88.4% of which is used to pay salaries and the remaining 11.6% is used for operations. The Judicial Branch receives only 2.37% of the overall State budget.
About North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts
The North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts (NCAOC) is the administrative agency for the North Carolina Judicial Branch, providing administrative services to help the North Carolina court system operate more efficiently and effectively, taking into account each courthouse’s diverse needs, caseloads, and available resources.
Media Contact
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