Courts in Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas announce closings for Hurricane Dorian
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Several courts in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina already have announced closings as Hurricane Dorian approached off the coast.
You can find state court closings here in Florida, here in Georgia and here in North Carolina.
The South Carolina Supreme Court advises checking the State Emergency Management Division website or local government websites for information. Courts will follow decisions made by local counties and municipal governments, according to a Sept. 2 memo from the South Carolina Supreme Court.
The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts posted federal courthouse closings in a Sept. 2 press release, along with links to the individual websites that can be checked for more information. Some federal courthouses were closed in the Southern District of Florida, the Middle District of Florida, the Southern District of Georgia and the District of South Carolina, according to the press release.
In Florida, the supreme court issues retroactive orders extending deadlines on a county-by-county basis for periods of time when state courts are closed because of a storm. Any orders extending legal deadlines because of the hurricane will be posted here.
The South Carolina Supreme Court memo says judges assigned to counties operating as normal should be flexible in granting continuances to attorneys and parties who experience personal issues caused by the weather. The court also says chief judges at all levels may direct that certain matters or proceedings go forward, despite closings or delays, and should ensure that bond hearings are conducted at least once per day, if conditions are safe enough.
