Local courts granted extra time for trials

Exercising the authority granted under Government Code section 68115 and the April 15, 2021 order of Chief Justice Tani G Cantil-Sakauye, Chair of the Judicial Council of California, issued in response to the April 13, 2021 request for an emergency order made by the Superior Court of Madera county, the court hereby finds and orders as follows:

1. On order of the presiding judge or his designee, session of his court may be held anywhere in the county, including correctional and juvenile detention facilities from April 10, 2021, to May 19, 20201, inclusive.

2. In cases in which the original or previously extended statutory deadline otherwise would expire from April 19, 2020, to May 19, 2021, inclusive, any judge of the court may extend the time period provided in section 1382 or the Penal Code for the holding of a criminal trial by not more than 30 days.

Additionally, in support of the work performed by the Family Court Services Division to facilitate and conduct effective child interviews, this court hereby finds and orders as follows:

That Item 5 of this court’s 27th General Order, dated February 11, 2021, be amended to read:

“All mediation services and investigative interview to be provided by Family Court Services shall be conducted telephonically unless in-person mediation or interview is specifically ordered by the court. the exception to this restriction shall be in person child interviews, which will be conducted as required by state, or as requested by the assigned Child Custody Recommending counselor. Pursuant to previsions of section 1851 (a)(l) of the Probate Code, the court investigator may conduct convertership investigations as required by sections 1850 and 1851 of the Probate Code by means of a video interview of the conservatee, in lieu of visiting the conservatee. This order is necessary for the health and safety of the investigator, the conservatee, the caregivers and the public, and to prevent harm to the conservatee.”

This order is effective immediately, supersedes the 28th general order and any provision of the 27th general order not amended herein remains in effect.