Buncombe County courts are operating on a very reduced schedule, Buncombe County District Attorney Todd Williams told BPR.
“Do not fret about missing a court date if you have one coming up in this period,” Williams said.
The courts remain open for “essential constitutionally mandated” matters, such as domestic violence protection orders, probable cause hearings and pleas, he said.
“We are not doing jury trials,” he said. People called for jury duty can ignore those notices until services resume.
Defendants with attorneys should reach out to them to get the latest information.
Criminal defendants in custody who want to request release or reduced bond, they should do so through their attorney, he said.
“We are more than happy to review any bond, any bond motion that’s made by a defense attorney or by the defendant case-by-case and determine whether or not that case is an appropriate risk and advocate yes or no,” he said.
The district attorney’s office may consent or request something that the judge will not grant, he said.
Williams distinguished this situation from the pandemic in that during COVID-19, defendants could not be transferred to other facilities and brought back for court proceedings.
In a statement, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office said they transferred 162 incarcerated people to other facilities.
For the Family Justice Center assistance in a domestic violence situation, individuals can call (828) 250-6900. The Public Defender can be reached at (828) 259-2423.