A Georgia courthouse has been temporarily closed due to a bed bug infestation. Superior Court Chief Judge Lisa Lott issued an emergency order to shut down the Athens-Clarke County Courthouse until the following Monday for treatment.
The emergency order from Judge Lott has led to the cancellation of jury trials, hearings, and the suspension of many judicial activities. The Athens-Clarke County Unified Government (ACCGov) stated that additional orders will address late filing dates and other court-related issues. Workstations for non-judicial offices in the courthouse have also been closed.
The closure impacts several public offices, including:
Superior Court
Municipal Court
Probate Court
Magistrate Court
Juvenile Court
State Court
The Sheriff’s Office
The Solicitor General’s Office
The District Attorney’s Office
The Tax Assessor’s Office
Central Services Records
The ACCGov website explains that after the Central Services Department became aware of potential bed bugs in the courthouse, they contacted an on-call pest control company for a full assessment. Once the company confirmed the presence of bed bugs, the Central Services Department and Facilities Management Division recommended the temporary closure to Chief Judge Lott to implement the necessary multi-day treatment measures.
“Although bed bugs were only found in areas on three levels, the recommended treatment involves closing and treating the entire facility,” ACCGov noted.
The source of the infestation remains unknown due to the high number of daily visitors to the courthouse. The tentative plan is to treat the infestation throughout the week, with the goal of reopening the courthouse on Monday.
Source: Newsweek
