Zoom hearings are largely back in play for Lyon County District Court after coronavirus has adjusted operations in the County Attorney’s Office.
County Attorney Marc Goodman tells KVOE News there are a few cases where traditional courtroom hearings can be held, but with one staffer testing positive, three staffers vaccinated but only two meeting fully-vaccinated criteria and two unvaccinated staffers deemed as close contacts earlier this week, the normal workflow has to be changed.
Goodman highlighted the policies from the Kansas Supreme Court as an example. The Kansas court system’s rule says staffers are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their final dose.
Goodman says he spent several hours Tuesday determining who was available to work, based on the guidance from the court system and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and he says other department heads or business leaders may be having similar experiences at this time. He also says having Zoom as an option was good because dockets could have frozen up without online hearings, especially with several high-profile cases currently underway. In addition, he also says it’s difficult for county or business leaders to keep up with policy adjustments because they are coming rapidly and may not always be consistent.
The County Attorney’s Office follows Lyon County mitigation strategies, meaning masks and social distancing are encouraged but not mandated.
