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ORDER DECLARING JUDICIAL EMERGENCY

WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners of Camden County has voted to close the Courthouse due to the current forecast track and potential threat from Hurricane/Tropical Storm Elsa;

THEREFORE, the undersigned Chief Judge of Superior Courts for Camden County, Brunswick Judicial Circuit does hereby declare the existence of a judicial emergency in this county, pursuant to O.C.G.A. §38-3-60, et seq. The nature of this emergency is due to Hurricane/Tropical Storm Elsa, which is expected to affect Camden County on Wednesday July 7, 2021 until 8:00 a.m. Thursday, July 8, 2021. The undersigned makes this declaration in conformance with the decision of the county commissioners.

Accordingly, it is hereby ORDERED that Camden County Superior Courts will be closed for business from 11:00 a.m. on July 7, 2021, through 8:00 a.m. on July 8, 2021. If conditions warrant, as determined by the county commission, the court may open earlier than provided herein; however, by opening earlier it will not affect the protection afforded hereby for deadlines and extensions.

The Court hereby suspends, tolls, extends and otherwise grants relief from all deadlines or other time schedules or filing requirements imposed or otherwise applicable statutes, rules, regulations, or court orders, whether in civil or criminal cases or administrative matters, including, but not limited to:

1. A statute of limitations;
2. The time within which to issue a warrant;
3. The time within which to try a case for which a demand for speedy trial has been filed;
4. The time within which to hold a commitment hearing;
5. A deadline or other schedule regarding the detention of a juvenile;
6. The time within which to return a bill of indictment or an accusation or to bring a matter before a grand jury;
7. The time within which to file a writ of habeas corpus;
8. The time within which discovery or any aspect thereof is to be completed;
9. The time within which to serve a party;
10. The time within which to appeal or to seek the right to appeal an order, ruling or other determination;
11. The time for which hearings must be held in stalking and family violence cases, all ex parte relief is continued until next scheduled hearing in said matters; and
12. Such other legal proceedings as may be determined to be necessary.

The relief granted herein expires at 8:00 a.m. on July 8, 2021, unless otherwise ordered by the Court. Should the court be closed due to law enforcement declaration, by order of the sheriff, by the county commission, by power outages, or other unforeseen contingencies, the expiration declared herein shall be extended hereby for the duration of the contingency. Because the Court expects other public buildings within the county may be closed for a similar period of time, the Court is unable to designate another facility for the transaction of court business. Should the judicial emergency extend beyond the closure period indicated above, the court will make a determination of an available appropriate facility to conduct court business when it is appropriate to do so.

This order shall be served upon the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Chief Judge of the Georgia Court of Appeals and the respective clerks thereof; all judges and clerks of the Brunswick Judicial Circuit; all lawyers and litigants if possible; and the pertinent newspapers in the circuit. All Clerks are ordered to post this order conspicuously in their respective courthouses.