Non-emergency court appearances canceled as local judicial system braces for COVID-19 Friday, March 20, 2020
G.F. Herald
The North Dakota Supreme Court has issued an emergency order in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in an effort to maintain judicial branch functions by granting district judges statewide jurisdiction to set bail. Additionally, any defendant facing a sentence of presumptive probation may plead guilty to the offense in writing.
Essentially, state court administrator Sally Holewa explained, judges will be able to set bail for people in their local jail, including those who have warrants from other counties, and any defendant facing a Class C Felony will now have the option to submit a written plea instead of making a court appearance, an option normally only available to defendants facing misdemeanor charges.
The emergency order comes amid a slate of changes made at the state and local levels to court operations in an effort to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus in the community.