Morgan County Courthouse departments file back in
Keith Rhoades of the MD Times reports:
With the goal of being home for Halloween, employees displaced from the Morgan County Courthouse will begin moving back home later this week.
Superior Court I Judge G. Thomas Gray said officeholders have come up with a schedule for moving the courts, the prosecutor’s office, and clerk’s office back to their normal offices.
Morgan County offices moved out of the courthouse and into the county administration building and jail more than a year ago, after courthouse workers raised questions about air-quality at the courthouse. All employees moved out of the courthouse while the building was tested, and later cleaned of molds and pigeon droppings.
Judge Gray asked the public to “bear with us” during the move back. The judge said courts would be tolerant with people during the move.
The magistrate’s court and the microfilm department have already returned to the basement of the courthouse, and the jury commissioner is back in her office on the third floor.
Judge Gray said during the courts’ move, they will not be available for business. Their phone lines will be shut off until they are ready to resume business in the courthouse. The exception is Superior Court III, which – because of the high number of small claims it processes – will continue to do business throughout its move back to the courthouse.
The magistrate’s court will handle initial hearings and take care of any emergency needs, such as protective orders and search warrants.
Circuit Court Judge Matthew Hanson will move Thursday, followed by Superior Court I on Friday.
On Monday, the office for Superior Court III will be moved. Next Tuesday, Superior Court II will be moved back to its first floor home. A week from today, the prosecutor will move and a day later clerk’s office will return to the courthouse.
