Move is in response to virus concerns

Wanda Mehojah has been spraying disinfectant and sweeping with sanitizer the surfaces of her work station at the Kootenai County Justice Building.

Mehojah wears the dark uniform, arm patches and ball cap with the words SECURITY on the crown as she ensures people entering the courthouse carry no knives, guns or weapons into the building.

The latest threat can’t be seen, however, and it doesn’t register on the metal detector or the X-ray that Mehojah used Monday to scan baggage and bodies.

“It smells like a hospital in here,” Mehojah said.

There may be fewer people walking the courthouse halls or sitting on its benches than in a medical facility. That’s because beginning this week the Kootenai County District Court, in an effort to stay ahead of health concerns caused by the coronavirus, began postponing hearings, vacating or continuing trials, scratching out calendar items and deep cleaning courtrooms and hallways.

The slow-down, though, has not stopped the wheels of justice.

“It looks like we’re running about half speed,” jury commissioner Pete Barnes said.

The cancellations and cutbacks came in response to an order from the Idaho Supreme Court this week for districts to implement measures to stymie or slow down the spread of COVID-19, the virus that has been on the minds of many, including courthouse personnel.

The Supreme Court order excuses all in-person appearances for criminal and civil dockets and encourages judges to hold hearings telephonically or via video.

The exceptions include emergency matters, child protection and domestic violence hearings and evidentiary hearings in criminal cases.

Anyone who has questions regarding the criminal or civil cases should call the criminal or civil desks at Kootenai County District Court.

The law mandates that some hearings be made in-person and speedy trial laws may also affect what hearings are on the docket.

A trial scheduled to begin this week in First District Judge John Mitchell’s court was canceled Monday, but some other trials will proceed.

“We can still have jury trials in criminal cases, if speedy trial is involved,” Mitchell said.

This week’s trial in his court was postponed until April, Mitchell said, while other hearings such as jurisdictional reviews can be done by phone.

“So, that’s no problem, we’ll do them by phone, but arraignments and sentencings, those have to be in person,” Mitchell said. “I think we can adjust, for the time being.”

According to the Supreme Court’s order, the judiciary should make reasonable attempts to reschedule cases and hearings required by statute or court rules.

Barnes said although he canceled jury trials from this week’s docket as well as infraction and traffic court, the picture next week could look different.

“I don’t know about next week, or the week after,” he said.

Karlene Behringer, trial court administrator, said the whole idea is to prevent a lot of human interaction in an effort to minimize the chance of spreading a virus.

“The goal is to keep everybody safe and healthy,” Behringer said.

So far the court has not taken a broad-brush approach.

“Every night we’re blowing out the courthouse buildings,” Barnes said. “We’re scrubbing and sanitizing every inch of wood and plastic anyone can touch or sneeze on.”

His bailiffs also hung posters telling people with flu symptoms to stay out of court buildings.

“We had to send someone home this morning, who said they had the flu,” Mehojah said.

Keeping her station sanitized is something she has done all along, she said.

“I was basically doing that, anyways,” she said.