Amendment to the Judicial District Plan to take effect June 15

Special to the State Gazette

The trial, general sessions, juvenile, and municipal courts in the 29th Judicial District have been operating pursuant to the terms of its COVID-19 Judicial District Plan. In accordance with the recommended health and safety guidelines in place at that time the Supreme Court approved the plan with no more than 10 people, plus the judge, court personnel, and court security were allowed inside the courtroom.

Based upon the present recommended health and safety guidelines, the Supreme Court has approved Tennessee courts to allow a maximum capacity of fifty percent of the total number of people a courtroom can accommodate so long as social distancing measures are strictly followed. Courtroom capacity is determined by the local fire marshal. The courts will only allow the number of people inside the courtroom who can social distance even if that number is less than fifty percent capacity.

Any court within the 29th Judicial District has the discretion to continue operating pursuant to the courtroom restrictions of the existing plan as previously approved and is not required to move to the maximum fifty percent courtroom capacity.

This amendment is effective on June 15, 2020.