(BIVN) – Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald on Monday at 5:55 p.m. ordered the closing of the South Kohala District Court of the Third Circuit in Waimea for Tuesday, after a court employee tested positive for COVID-19.

The Hawaiʻi State Judiciary issued this media release:

A South Kohala District Court employee has tested positive for COVID-19, the Hawaii State Judiciary announced today. This is the only confirmed case of any Judiciary employee statewide.

The individual was asymptomatic, but took a COVID-19 test on Saturday as a precautionary measure, unrelated to the person’s work at the Judiciary. The test came back positive this afternoon and the employee immediately went home to self-isolate. All employees at the facility were directed to go home, self-quarantine, and advised to monitor their health, seek advice of a medical provider, including the possibility of their own test for COVID-19.

The Judiciary has conferred with the Department of Health, which is in the process of contact tracing.

The courthouse, which is located in the Waimea Civic Center complex, will be closed on Tuesday. Arrangements are being made for the facility to be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized. Once facility cleaning is complete, reopening of the courthouse will be pending staff availability.

As a result of the closure, the Chief Justice issued an order extending the filing deadline for documents due on August 4 in the South Kohala District Court. All documents due to have been filed on August 4 shall be deemed to have been timely filed if they are filed by August 5, 2020.
In addition, all hearings or trials canceled due to the closure will be rescheduled to the next available date with due consideration for any statutory mandates.

The Judiciary has been limiting access to its facilities to those with official court business only. Face coverings are required, social distancing measures are in place, and increased cleaning of high traffic areas in the courthouse are performed daily.

The Hawaiʻi Judiciary maintains this information page with the latest on the courts and COVID-19.