코로나 사태로 온 세계가 공황상태네요.

엘에이도 지난주 목요일부터 complete lockdown이 시작 되었고, 엘에이 카운티 법원은 지난주 화요일 (3/17/20)부터 임시로 3일간 법원을 완전히 닫았다가 현재는 부분적인 운영에 들어간 상태입니다.

엘에이 가정법원의 책임판사의 오늘자 메세지를 요약하자면, 엘에이 카운티 법원은 4월 16일까지 계속해서 아주 극소수의 emergency case 만 받아 줍니다. 물론 많은 분들이 자신의 사건이 위급하다고 생각하겠지만, 법원 문은 ex parte applications (캘리포니아 Rules of Court 5.151 (b) 에 명시된 ex parte application의 근거는 단 3가지 입니다: 1) to make orders to help prevent an immediate danger or irreparable harm to a party or to the children involved in the matter 2) to make orders to help prevent immediate loss or damage to property subject to disposition in the case or, 3) to make orders about procedural matters, including: setting a date for a hearing on the matter that is sooner than that of a regular hearing shortening or extending the time required for the moving party to serve the other party witht he notice of the hearing and supporting papers and, continuing a hearing or trial), 접근금지 명령 신청 접수, 접근금지 명령 재판 연기, 그리고 마지막으로 헤이그 조약 해외 아동 탈취 사건 공판을 위해서만 열립니다.

엘에이 카운티 전체의 Supervising Judge인 Judge Brazile은 얼마전 (3월 26일) 6월 22일까지 법원이 닫혀있을 것이라고 공표를 했는데요. 이 공문의 정확한 의미를 두고 의견이 분분한데, 배심원이 참여하지 않는 민사소송 재판에 한한 공문이라는 의견도 있고 법원 전체가 위의 예외적인 사건들을 제외하고 계속해서 닫혀있을 것이라는 해석도 있으나 아직 확실한 것은 없고, 시간이 좀 더 지나야 4월 16일 이후의 상황에 대한 계획이 잡힐 것 같다는 것입니다.

이미 잡혀있던 공판이나 재판은 5월이나 6월로 미뤄져서 법원에서 연기 관련 연락을 받을 것이고, 많은 직원들이 법원에 안 나오고 있기 때문에 원래 home court 에는 전화를 하셔도 통화가 안 됩니다.

(제 사견: 엘에이 법원은 그래도 접수는 계속 받아주고 있습니다. 두 가지 방법으로 접수가 가능한데요. Fax-filing 아니면 drop box filing입니다. 저희 사무실은 법원에 대신 접수를 해주는 어터니 써비스를 쓰는데, 법원 바깥에 drop box가 셋업이 돼서 모든 접수서류는 거기에 놓고 온다고 하고요. 원래 이혼 신청서 접수할 때 그 자리에서 접수도장을 찍어서 돌려줬었는데 박스에 넣고 돌려받는 시스템이 시행된 이번주 월요일 이후로 접수 들어간 서류를 돌려받은 건 아직 하나도 없다고 하네요. Riff 판사도 언급했지만, 바로바로 도장 찍힌 서류를  돌려받지는 못하더라도 접수 도장은 박스에 놓고간 날짜로 찍어준다고 하고요. 오렌지 카운티는 이번주부터 아예 접수를 안 받아주기 시작했습니다. 6월까지는 이혼 신청 서류며, 심리신청 서류며 안 받아준다고 하고요. 심리신청서를 넣었는데 위급한 사안이 아닐시 바로 기각시킨다고 합니다. 오렌지 카운티 책임판사의 공문도 바로 올려 드리겠습니다.)  

아래의 공문은 가정법 변호사들에게 유포된 내용입니다. 법원 웹싸이트에 가시면 가정법 관련한 공문은 없고, 법원 전체 관련 공문들이 있는데, 내용이 명확하지가 않아서리...

아래의 링크를 타고 가시면 엘에이 카운티 가정법원에 심리신청을 하실 경우 언제 공판이 잡히는지 법원별로 날짜가 올려져 있는데요. Central (엘에이 다운타운)은 날짜를 못 잡아주고 있다네요. 4월부터 날짜를 잡아주는 법원들도 있으니, 참고하세요.

http://www.lacourt.org/division/familylaw/pdf/RequestForOrderDates.pdf

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Message from Judge Riff this morning:

Good morning Family Law Community:

At Judge Brazile’s request, I will try to answer some of the many general process questions put to me privately and also posted on the LACBA list serve.

An overriding point: we all seek clarity and specificity in a time defined by their opposites, not just in court operations but in society overall.

There simply are not clear and specific answers at this time to many of the questions posed.  This is because the overall situation is, of course, dynamic and evolving everywhere. 

As you know and expect, Judge Brazile and the Work Group have a great deal on their plates as they plan, implement and communicate throughout the five divisions of our court.  As banal as it may sound, I must continue to ask for your patience so that when Judge Brazile and I under his direction do communicate, the information is accurate.

Q:        Big picture, where are we in the Family Law Division?
A:        Our court is closed, including the FL Division, for all court proceedings except for specified time-sensitive, essential functions.  In FL those are processing ex-parte applications processing restraining order applications conducting hearings on restraining orders and conducting hearings in Hague convention international kidnapping matters.  As you know, the court is strongly encouraging continuances in all hearings matters. And judicial officers may, considering the specifics of each individual case, continue such hearings without an agreement.  We do not want people to be in court except as necessary to deal with time-sensitive, essential function matters.

Q:        What is the duration of this court closure?
A:        Currently, until April 16.

Q:        So on April 17, is it back to business as usual?
A:        We all await further instruction from Judge Brazile on that point and be reassured it is a topmost matter for Judge Brazile and the Work Group.

Q:        But doesn’t Judge Brazile’s March 23 General Order establish a further closure period to June 22?
A:        Many of you read the order that way. Others read it that it suspends certain proceedings such as “civil non-jury trials” “until further notice”.   The order does not state whether such further notice may occur before June 22 and I have no insight to share with you at this time on that point.  The key point for now is that the court is closed, as described above, until April 16 and that more specificity as applies to family law will be forthcoming.

Q:        I received a notice recently continuing a hearing set after April 17 to a later date. Doesn’t that mean that the period of court closure is extended past April 16?
A:        No, it does not necessarily mean that.  It means a determination was made in that case and in that department that the hearing should be continued in any event.

Q:        Why can’t I reach the Judicial Assistant in my home court?
A:        Because many home courts are closed and not staffed.  Many staff are working remotely.  Staff in courthouses are being deployed where needed.

Q:        What are key things to know about filing via “drop box”?
A:        Filings are dated as of the date the document is placed in the drop box.  One can pay with a credit card and there are credit card “slips” available at the drop boxes.

Q:        With the clerk’s office closed and access to the courthouses limited to authorized persons, how can I find out about continued dates in confidential parentage cases?
A:        Persons calling the clerk’s office general number will, upon advising of a case number in a confidential parentage case, be advised of a continued hearing date.

Q:        When “business as usual resumes”, whenever that will be, will RFOs, FCCRCs, trials, MSCs and all other matters proceed in the chronological order of filing or earlier settings?
A:        Not necessarily.  The job of “ramping up” the division after this ramp-down will be extremely complex and planning and decisions as to how that will proceed have not even begun.  At that time, you can count on the my asking you for….patience.

Thank you.