Coronavirus Fears Leave Courts Limited to Emergency Matters Only
In order to reduce the spread of COVID-19, the Riverside Superior Court extended its closure until May 1, 2020. The initial closures went into effect on March 30, 2020. Currently, the following courthouses and court services are closed:
- Banning Justice Center
- Corona Court
- Hemet Justice Center
- Riverside Historic Courthouse
- Moreno Valley Courthouse
- Palm Springs Courthouse
- Riverside Family Law
- Temecula Courthouse
- Riverside Juvenile
- Records Center
- Riverside Centre (ECD)
- Self Help Center
The remaining courts are open for limited emergency matters only. Emergency matters for criminal cases include “in-custody arraignments for both misdemeanor and felony cases, preliminary hearings, bail motions, priority sentencing hearings and accept gun violence restraining orders.” The court will also continue to accept “Daytime Emergency Protective Order (EPO) and Search Warrants.”
All jury trials were continued for 60 days. Traffic court trials were postponed until May 22, 2020. The court is encouraging telephonic appearances when available for any emergency hearings and has waived certain electronic document submission filing fees until June 30, 2020.
Additionally, the court, pursuant to a “mandatory directive” ordered by the Riverside County Health Officer, is requiring that all people who enter a court facility to wear a face covering. The order was issued on April 4, 2020, and requires all residents to wear a face-covering when leaving their home. Recommended face coverings include “bandanas, scarves, neck gaiters, or other clothing that does not have visible holes.” The Riverside County Health Officer asks that residents not purchase N95 or surgical masks for face coverings as they are in limited supply and should be reserved for health professionals on the front-line of the pandemic.