Elkhart County courts to resume in-person criminal trials on March 1

ELKHART COUNTY, Ind. -- Elkhart County will resume some court operations in March following the expiration of an order from the Indiana Supreme Court.

The Elkhart County Circuit and Superior courts will resume in-person jury and bench criminal trials as of March 1. The Indiana Supreme Court’s order suspending jury trials in the state due to COVID-19 will expire and is not expected to be extended.

Trials will resume in person as long as the county remains in the orange, yellow or blue status.

The county will not have in-person non-emergency and non-essential hearings in civil, criminal and family law cases when the county is under orange or yellow status.

Civil jury trials will not resume until the county is blue on the state’s status map.

Anyone entering the courthouse will be required to have their temperature taken, answer a brief questionnaire to determine potential exposure to COVID-19, and must wear a mask at all times.

The probation department will continue to supervise and monitor clients remotely. If an in person meeting is necessary, the probationer will be notified.

It is recommended if you have business with the Clerk of the Court, that you conduct that business by phone or online. The clerk will be available by appointment for filing protective orders, handling child support matters, and providing marriage licenses. Any questions about the clerk’s office can be directed to the clerk’s office in Goshen at 535-6430 or Elkhart at 523-2305.

Click here to view the county status (scroll down to the map and click "county status")





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