Residents who receive jury notices shrink back in horror. Accused felons are warehoused in a jail cell as they await the resumption of jury trials to determine their fate. And the banging of a gavel to bring a proceeding to order has been replaced by the banging of nails and buzzing of saws that have repurposed the courtroom space for socially distanced justice in the pandemic world.
“There’s been quite a bit of destruction and construction done in the courtroom to make sure that we can seat jurors in the courtroom both during jury selection and during a trial where they are six feet apart,” J. Tyler Ray, Henderson County’s clerk of superior court said. “All the courtroom capacities have been significantly reduced since last March. When the jury pool is in the building, it’s split up into morning and afternoon pools. It looks a lot different in the courtroom than it did before March of 2020.”
RALEIGH — Chief Justice Paul Newby issued an order on Feb. 12 extending emergency directives an additional 30 days in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Chief Justice Newby’s order encourages
Chief Justice Newby Issues New Court Directives Published: 15 January 2021
In this new order, Chief Justice Newby has allowed several of the emergency directives in the December 14, 2020, order to expire because they concern matters best decided at the local level. 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.
“Today’s order allows local courthouse leadership, who assess the threat of COVID-19 every day, to tailor preventative measures to meet their specific local challenges,” said Chief Justice Newby. “But they are not alone in this fight. I have requested that the Governor prioritize our court personnel in the COVID-19 vaccination schedule so we can fulfill our constitutional ‘open courts’ mandate to provide equal justice to all in a timely manner.”
RALEIGH — Chief Justice Paul Newby has issued an order containing emergency directives related to COVID-19. The order replaces the expired order issued on Dec. 14 and is effective Jan.
January 11, 2021
RALEIGH Chief Justice Paul Newby has appointed Judge Angelica Chavis McIntyre ’13 as chief district court judge for Robeson County.
“Judge McIntyre’s appointment is based on her professional reputation and collaborative work with local stakeholders,” said Chief Justice Newby. “I have no doubt she will continue to serve her community well in her new capacity.”
At 28, Judge McIntyre was elected to the district court bench in November 2018 making her the youngest female judge in the state. She served as an assistant district attorney prior to being elected to serve as a district court judge. She is the first Native American female chief district court judge in the State of North Carolina.