Magistrate Court closed after chief magistrate hospitalized with COVID-19; Superior Court clerk’s office also closed

Published 5:00 pm Friday, November 13, 2020

Whitfield County Chief Magistrate Chris Griffin has been hospitalized with the new coronavirus (COVID-19) and Magistrate Court was closed to the public on Tuesday after Griffin’s diagnosis until Nov. 30.

And on Thursday afternoon, county officials said the clerk of Superior Court’s office is closing because of an exposure to COVID-19 and will not reopen until Nov. 23.

Both are in the county courthouse.

Concerning Magistrate Court, being closed to the public means just that, that those who do not work there are not allowed in, with certain exceptions for other government employees. Judges who are not under quarantine are still working there.

“He (Griffin) is not in (intensive care), and he is doing better,” said Magistrate Clerk of Court Judy Castaneda. “We had other multiple confirmed cases within the office and among the staff. With the safety of the staff and the public in mind, we thought the best thing was to close the office.”

Castaneda said she does not know if any members of the public were exposed to COVID-19 in Magistrate Court offices.

There are 13 employees in Magistrate Court, including four judges. Castaneda said multiple employees have tested positive for COVID-19 but Griffin is the only one displaying symptoms. She said she “prefers not to say” how many have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

Magistrate Judge Gayle Gazaway confirmed she tested positive on Wednesday.

“I’m thankful that my symptoms are not severe enough for me to be hospitalized,” she said.

Magistrate Judge Rod Weaver said he has tested negative and has no symptoms of the disease. He said he and the other judges are still at work and are “coordinating together” in Griffin’s absence. “He needs our prayers,” he said. “He’s going to pull through this, but it’s going to take some time.”

Castaneda said all business except warrants and first appearance hearings, which are done by video, is on hold while the court is closed to the public.

Magistrate Judge Tom Phillips did not immediately respond to telephone or email messages on Thursday.

The court handles a variety of cases, including evictions, civil disputes up to $15,000, violations of county ordinances and some misdemeanor crimes. The judges also handle first appearances, hearings in which defendants are informed of the charges against them and can make a plea or be referred to Superior Court, depending on the severity of the charges. The judges also handle applications for search warrants and arrest warrants by law enforcement.

Castaneda said Magistrate Court offices were cleaned after Griffin and others tested positive.

Those entering the courthouse have their temperature taken as mandated by the Supreme Court of Georgia. Those with a fever are not allowed to enter. Magistrate Court was requiring people entering the court to wear masks, and was limiting the number of people in its lobby and in its courtrooms, and requesting that visitors maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from others. It also recently installed plexiglass barriers between employees and others over its counters.

County Commissioners Harold Brooker and Greg Jones said that with all the safeguards that are in place they aren’t sure what more can be done to keep COVID-19 from spreading in the courthouse.

Commissioners earlier this week refused to implement a county-wide mask mandate. An analysis this week by Issues & Insights, a website started by veterans of the Investor’s Business Daily newspaper, found that COVID-19 infections could be reduced by as much as 6% in states without a mask mandate if they implemented one.

Superior Court Administrator Brad Butler said jury trials for Monday have been canceled.