Domestic Relations Division Summit County Court of Common Pleas

Date: March 13, 2020

Attached please find a memorandum which outlines emergency measures being implemented in relation to the public health emergency related to COVID-19 effective Monday, March 16, 2020.

Any additional updates or changes will be posted to the Court’s web site at www.drcourt.org. Parties are encouraged to check the web site for updates regularly.

Summit County Domestic Relations Court, Temporary Policies in response to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) public health crisis.

On March 9, 2020 Ohio Governor Mike DeWine issued Executive Order 2020-01D “Declaring a State of Emergency” in response to the growing COVID-19 public health crisis. On March 11, 2020 the World Health Organization officially declared COVID-19 to be a global “pandemic” requiring “urgent and aggressive action” to control the spread of the virus.

Based upon these circumstances, Summit County Domestic Relations Court has developed a continuum of flexible responses in case the public health crisis escalates. The continuum of responses is intended to protect public health, to maintain essential court functions, and to continue to protect the rights of all individuals subject to the authority of the Court.

The following changes in court policies and procedures are made effective March 16, 2020:

1. The Remember the Children Program scheduled for March 21 is CANCELLED.
2. The Working Together Program scheduled for March 26 is CANCELLED. Parties scheduled for this program date will be rescheduled for a subsequent date.
3. All Initial Pretrial Conferences and Settlement Conferences shall be conducted by telephone only at their currently scheduled times. Call-in information is provided on the attached listing of telephone conference numbers.
4. Hearings on Motions for Temporary Orders shall be conducted by telephone only at their currently scheduled times. If there are exhibits which parties wish the court to consider at this hearing, those exhibits shall be submitted to the court and opposing party via e-mail or fax to the assigned magistrate prior to the hearing.
5. For Uncontested Divorce and Dissolution hearings, the Court requests the parties to attend in-person. Parties wishing to attend via telephone or Skype should contact the bailiff for the assigned judge to arrange this attendance. The contact phone numbers are listed in the attachment.
6. Domestic Violence ex-parte hearings will be conducted by the court in the day the case is filed. The Domestic Violence Evidentiary hearing will be set within legally required time frames. However, for the Domestic Violence Evidentiary hearing, due to public health concerns, only the parties and counsel mav attend. No additional witnesses shall attend the initially scheduled evidentiarv hearing. If testimony of anyone other than the parties is required, that testimony will be heard on a subsequent date to be assigned by the magistrate.
7. For any hearing type not listed above, the parties and counsel shall attend in-person unless other arrangements are made with the court. Any parties with scheduled hearings who are ill, or unable to attend the hearing in-person shall email the court to request either remote attendance via telephone or Skype or to request a continuance of the

hearing. Those requests shall be emailed to: hearings drcourt.org with a copy sent to the opposing party or counsel. The assigned magistrate or judge will review the request and determine how to proceed.

1. Only counsel or parties on a case with business before the court shall enter the Domestic Relations Court building. The only exception to this policy is that Parties may be accompanied by advocates or necessary support persons as required. NO CHILDREN SHOULD BE BROUGHT INTO THE COURTHOUSE AT ANY TIME.
2. Scheduled mediations or meetings with Family Court Services Evaluators will be conducted via telephone or Skype. Parties on these appointments shall not attend in person unless specifically directed to by the assigned court personnel. Call-in instructions will be provided to the parties in advance of the appointment.
3. Meetings with Guardians ad Litem may be conducted via telephone or Skype at the discretion of the Guardian ad Litem. The Guardian ad Litem will inform the parties of whether the meeting will be in-person or via telephone or Skype and will provide contact information.
4. Any person who enters the Domestic Relations Court building and who appears to be ill, coughing, or sneezing, may, at the Court’s discretion, be asked to leave the building and reschedule their hearing.
5. For those parents looking for guidance as to the media’s wording of “THREE WEEK spring break”—our standard order and many parenting plans do not provide for mass emergency school closures. This is not a spring break that is on the school schedule that parents planned for and anticipated.

The court considers this an emergency school closure, as if the schools were closed due to a tornado or a hurricane. Parents will have to work together, and accommodate each other’s situation as much as they are able. The spring break that was set by school districts is the only spring break that is subject to prior court order. If they cannot agree, (and their parenting plan does not address the situation) then they can resort to their school year schedule, with the parent dropping off in the morning being responsible for the childcare for the school day up until the time the other parent is to pick-up the child.

This is not a time for rigid interpretations of parenting plans that have no provisions for unanticipated emergency situations.

The current health crisis is a fluid situation and is subject to change as the situation dictates.

The Court will post any updates and changes to the court website at WWW.drcourt.org. A list of court contact phone numbers is attached for any questions about hearing dates, procedures, etc.

Summit County Domestic Relations Court Contact and Conference call numbers

Department Phone Numbers

Conference Call Numbers for Telephone Hearings

Name Phone number  – Judges – Access code

Magistrates

Family Court Services and Mediations