How Will the Coronavirus (Covid-19) Impact My Case?

With the school closings and restaurant closings, rumors are going around that courts have closed or will close as well. Naturally, a question that we are getting frequently from our clients is what effect will the government’s response to COVID-19 have on their case.

While a lot of courts in Northeast Ohio have limited public access to their buildings and are conducting more business remotely or over the telephone, most people will not actually see a big impact on their case. Courts are still open and most cases are proceeding as normal.

The Ohio Supreme Court issued guidance to all Ohio judges on Friday, March 13, 2020, allowing individual courts to craft their own procedures and responses to COVID-19. However, the Supreme Court has directed that the courts are not to close. The Supreme Court has also said it will not pause speedy trial rights during the outbreak. Instead, individual judges can make those determinations on a case-by-case basis. So, while many pre-trials have been continued or will be held remotely, most all deadlines and trials remain as scheduled.

We at DiCaudo, Pitchford & Yoder are continuing to monitor this ever-changing situation and are working with the individual courts and judges to ensure our clients’ needs are still being met, whether that is arguing bond, confirming or rescheduling court appearances, or securing driving privileges and vehicle releases.

While other businesses are closed and courts may appear to have slowed down, our office remains open. We are continuing to do the same behind the scenes work on our cases and we expect cases to move quickly once courts return to their normal schedules.

If you or a loved one have been charged with a crime or if you are unsure about the status of your case, call us at 330-762-7477 for a telephone consultation.