Supreme Court orders masks in all Idaho courthouses
Ralph Bartholdt Kootenai County bailiff Rick Simonsen tried out one of the masks he and his courthouse team will be required to wear beginning today. The Supreme Court has ordered that anyone inside a courthouse must wear a mask, scarf or bandana to cover their mouth and nose.
A new order by the Idaho Supreme Court requires face masks be worn in courthouses across the state.
The order, which kicks in today, will require anyone who enters a courthouse or works there to cover their faces with a mask or bandana.
That means all judges, attorneys, litigants and their family members as well as courthouse employees must cover up.
“I think they are wanting to protect everybody,” court administrator Karleen Behringer said. “That wanted compliance with social distancing.”
The rule comes in the wake of calls to open up state and private facilities, which have been more or less closed since late March.
The Supreme Court order, sent last week to judicial districts statewide, gave courts time to prepare for the new set of rules at their facilities.
The latest rule requires district court and magistrate court hearings to be conducted via telephone or video conferencing.
“Hearings conducted at the courthouse will require all participants to wear masks,” First District Judge Administrative Judge Richard Christensen wrote in a press release.
Bailiffs said courtroom capacity will be reduced to accommodate social distancing, and markers will be placed on gallery benches where the public may sit.
“Anyone attending court proceedings or coming to the courthouse for court business must wear a mask, bandana or scarf that will cover their nose and mouth,” Christensen wrote.
Courthouses have been virtually empty since March, when the Supreme Court issued its first order to limit in-person hearings and indefinitely suspend jury trials.
The latest order calls for scheduling criminal jury trials beginning Aug. 3. Civil jury trials will not be scheduled until Oct. 5.
Bailiff Rick Simonsen tried out a mask Wednesday to get an idea of what the months ahead will be like.
Simonsen said the masks won’t impede discussions in court or muffle voices.
“Not enough to make a difference,” he said.
Hand sanitizer will also be placed outside courtrooms.
Behringer said the courthouse has been collecting masks for people with court business, who may not have a mask, or who have not heard of the latest rule.
“We don’t want to turn anyone away,” she said.