Local court dockets resume next week with new social distancing and safety guidelines in place, and people who must visit the Cullman County Courthouse in person are getting a preview from court officials on what they need to know about staying safe and exercising public health precautions.

In this video welcoming visitors back to the courthouse, District Judge Chad Floyd covers several points to keep in mind as the court works to keep in-person traffic to a minimum. 

Circuit Judge Greg Nicholas issued an order on Wednesday outlining precautionary measures the court will be enforcing for the foreseeable future during the coronavirus pandemic. Those include limiting attendance numbers for courtroom appearances, making on-call arrangements if visitors must bring an essential guest (like a witness or a mobility assistant), and sanitization measures that will be in place on the second and third floors at the courthouse.

While other in-person court proceedings will restart on Monday, jury trials for both criminal and civil court cases remain suspended until Sept. 14, owing to the difficulty court officials would face in following a state order that limits crowd size and distancing compliance for large gatherings.