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Coronavirus shuts down courtroom at the SLO County Courthouse

March 16, 2020

By KAREN VELIE

A San Luis Obispo County courtroom is temporarily closed after an attorney who serves as a public defender in both San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties tested positive for the coronavirus. Public health officials have also ordered multiple district attorney, public defender, probation, sheriff department and court employees to self quarantine.

On Sunday, shortly after it was discovered his wife had the virus, attorney Bradley Cornelius also tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a public official. Cornelius worked last week in Department 3 in the San Luis Obispo County Courthouse.

Public health officials then began asking members of the legal community who have had contact with Cornelius to self-quarantine. Department 3, which is being disinfected, will be closed until at least Tuesday and some court cases will be delayed.

The court calendar currently lists Cornelius as the attorney for a woman scheduled to be sentenced in Department 3 on Monday morning.


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Does this cause anyone to pause and think what the impact would be if the IWMB had adopted the elimination of the single use bags for vegetables, meat, fish, and whatever. Would you be comfortable carrying a bare head of lettuce around the grocery store where people had sneezed, coughed, and rubbed their dirty hands, in spite of having hand sanitizer at the door? Talk about changing CV-19 from a pandemic (a few people, just to cause alarm) to an epidemic (many people very sick…and dying) in a matter of hours!


Get a brain Tin Man.


3

I would be the person that brings their own cloth or canvas bag for my produce and groceries. Which I do now anyway. These bags are then washed and disinfected. Quite easy actually and prevents plastic waste. I wish people would take personal responsibility for their actions and join me in utilizing reusable bags, bottles, etc. It is the right thing to do for our world.


-2

Why can’t there be a internet trial and we can watch it like The Judge SLO Show.


3

Jorge, I don’t know if you’re kidding or not. But regardless, thank you for the best thought-provocation of the day (if not of the whole year).


Classic. That one’s a real keeper.


1

Why begs the question, and perhaps CalCoast News can research this, how does this ‘crisis’ affect Jury Duty. I’m 69, and just received a JD summons, for the 27th. I can’t imagine how a cattle-call like Jury selection can be allowed to go forward, given the Governor’s lockdown.


12

There is an exemption (based on memory) section on the jury summons. Plus you can delay and select a future date.


1

True … but only for six months, and only one ‘excuse’ per customer. This train wreck is going to take a lot more than 6 months to get to the station. I’m 69, so I’ve already been ‘locked down’ (as are many other SLOco citizens) so I don’t see how the court system can ignore this issue.


4

In addition to being able to ask for a postponement,(explanation of how to do this is shown on your jury summons), on your summons there should be a number to call after 5 PM the night before you are to show up. Often the case is settled, and the recording will tell you to call back the next day, the next day, and so on perhaps for four or five days, to see if you need to show up. Then, if you haven’t been told to come down, the recording will tell you that you are done with jury duty for a year. This also at this time gives the county powers- that-be time to decide if they really want to pursue jury trials and having prospective jurors waiting around in a big group, then meeting for days on end together in the courtroom. I think you’ll probably end up not having to go.


5

In this case, I give the County good marks. I had health concerns at one point that did not fall neatly into the categories and options for being excused. I called for assistance and got a very understanding hearing and was helped to complete the form such that I did not have to appear (as I could not).


0

So, obviously the number of confirmed cases being released aren’t accurate because this is two in either San Luis or Santa Barbara County. Not that I expect accurate info about any of this…just an observation.


23