Tas Magistrates Court will continue operations through virus crisis

The Magistrates Court of Tasmania, which has courts across the state, has announced it plans to continue operations throughout the coronavirus crisis.

The Magistrates Court of Tasmania plans to continue operations throughout the coronavirus crisis, but will implement some social distancing policies and enforce the use of hand sanitiser.

THE Magistrates Court of Tasmania says it will continue ploughing through criminal listings during the coronavirus crisis with the aid of hand sanitiser and social distancing techniques.

Announcing plans on Monday, a Department of Justice spokesperson said anyone who didn’t need to attend was asked to stay out of magistrates court buildings.

This news comes as the Supreme Court of Tasmania announced it will temporarily stop jury trials amid concerns of the spread of coronavirus.

Accused people may bring along one support person, but large groups of family and friends may be refused entry.

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Anyone who must attend court will be requested to use hand sanitiser when entering or wash their hands immediately, and may be refused entry for failing to comply.

The court will also aim to enforce a “degree of separation between people in court proceedings” with recommended 1.5 metre distances, including in its public seating galleries at the rear of courtrooms.

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\Members of the public will be asked to “spread out” inside the courts and may be asked to wait in designated areas until their matter is ready to proceed.

Large court lists will be triaged to reduce the number of people required to be in the same location at the same time.

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The magistrates court will also start planning for possible future changes by increasing the use of video conferencing, telephone conferencing, having some staff work from home and deciding which matters need to proceed and which will be adjourned.

All staff will also be required to wash their hands on arriving to work in the morning and whenever they re-enter the building.

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The new rules apply to magistrate court buildings statewide.

Anyone who did not need to attend would be asked to stay out of the court buildings, a Department of Justice spokesperson said.

Accused people may bring along one support person, but large groups of family and friends may be refused entry.

Anyone attending court would be required to use hand sanitiser, and may be refused entry for failing to comply.

The court would also aim to enforce a recommended 1.5m distancing regimen, including in its public seating galleries.

Members of the public would be asked to “spread out” inside the courts and may be asked to wait in designated areas.

The new rules apply to magistrates courts statewide.