ALL COURT LOCATIONS WILL REOPEN TO THE PUBLIC ON MAY 26, 2020 AT 8:00 A.M.
- IF YOU ARE SICK, DO NOT COME TO THE COURT. NO ONE WHO IS SICK OR WHO IS EXHIBITING COVID-19 SYMPTOMS WILL BE PERMITTED TO ENTER ANY COURT FACILITY.
- YOU MUST WEAR A MASK OR FACE COVERING TO ENTER ANY COURT FACILITY AND AT ALL TIMES WHILE INSIDE.
- ANYONE ENTERING ANY COURT FACILITY WILL HAVE THEIR TEMPERATURE TAKEN. IF YOU HAVE A TEMPERATURE OF 100 DEGREES OR HIGHER, YOU WILL BE DENIED ENTRY FOR THAT DAY.
- PLEASE EXPECT LONG LINES AND LONG WAIT TIMES. THE COURT WILL FOLLOW SOCIAL DISTANCING REQUIREMENTS AND BUILDING ACCESS WILL BE LIMITED. PLEASE OBEY ALL SIGNS. YOUR PATIENCE IS APPRECIATED.
- CLERK’S OFFICES ARE OPEN 8:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M., WITH PHONE HOURS FROM 10:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M., UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
- THE MARTINEZ COURT RECORDS OFFICE REMAINS CLOSED. SEE BELOW FOR INFORMATION CONCERNING RECORDS ACCESS.
- PLEASE READ THE REMAINDER OF THIS RELEASE FOR INFORMATION ABOUT SPECIFIC OPERATIONS.
Entrances and Exits. All buildings will operate a single entry/exit point. Please follow all signs carefully. The Court Street entrance for the Wakefield Taylor building in Martinez will not be open; use the Main Street entrance only.
No Nonessential Parties. Due to social distancing limitations, individuals who are not essential to Court matters should not accompany parties to Court for any matter or case type.
Drop Box Filings. Drop boxes will still be available from 9 A.M. – 3 P.M. (one hour after clerk’s office closure). Because clerk’s offices will experience high demand and significant wait times, the Court encourages you to file items by drop box. Items placed in the drop box before 3:00 p.m. will be file-stamped that day. Drop box locations are:
- Civil: Main Street entrance of the Wakefield Taylor Courthouse in Martinez.
- Criminal: Main Street entrance of the Wakefield Taylor Courthouse in Martinez.
- Family: Main entrance of Family Law building in Martinez.
- Juvenile: Main entrance of the Walnut Creek Courthouse.
- Probate: Main Street entrance of the Wakefield Taylor Courthouse in Martinez.
- Pittsburg and Richmond courthouses: These drop boxes are available only for filings in case types heard at those locations.
Jury Service. Jury service will resume. Be assured that we are working with the County Health Department to ensure your safety. Those summoned must follow the rules above for access to the Court, including wearing masks. To obey social distancing requirements, jurors will be called in two-hour blocks. See your jury summons for call-in information. No more than 50 jurors will be present in a jury assembly room at any time. If you are sick, exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms, or are a high-risk individual (e.g., over 60 years of age, immunocompromised, etc.), the Court will excuse you from service upon proof. Please call 925-608-1000 and follow the prompts for Jury Services.
Emergency Local Rules. All Emergency Local Rules remain in effect unless otherwise noted or as superseded by effect of the Court’s reopening. Rules are available at: http://www.cc-courts.org/local-rules/local-rules.aspx
Filing Holidays. The Court is open for filing as of May 26, 2020. Filing holidays under this Court’s Implementation Orders and/or Emergency Local Rules expire as of the Court’s reopening. Judicial Council Emergency Rules of Court and/or orders of the Chief Justice, available on the Court’s website, may further extend filing holidays in certain cases. Review these carefully.
Records. The Court Records office in Martinez remains closed. The Court will only accept records requests and requests for background checks via drop box or mail, subject to all legal confidentiality exceptions. Do not wait in line or come to a clerk’s window with a records request.
Request forms may be downloaded from the appropriate Court Records webpage:
- For Criminal matters and background checks: http://www.cc-courts.org/criminal/records.aspx. Submit by mail or use the Criminal drop box.
- For any other matters: http://www.cc-courts.org/civil/records.aspx. Submit by mail or use the drop box for the appropriate case type.
Specific Matters
- Restraining Orders. The Court continues to accept applications for domestic violence, civil harassment, and gun violence restraining orders. For civil restraining orders, please review the Civil Emergency Local Rules. For domestic violence restraining orders and emergency protective orders, please review the Family Emergency Local Rules.
- Traffic. The Court is in the process of rescheduling all traffic matters and you will receive a notice of new dates. Read your notice carefully: The location of your matter may differ from your original notice. All traffic matters have been granted a 120-day extension which also applies to payment deadlines as well as deadlines for traffic school and community service completion.
- Small Claims. The Court will reschedule all small claims matters and provide notice of new dates. Read your notice carefully: The location of your matter may differ from your original notice.
- Unlawful Detainer. The Judicial Council’s Emergency Rules of Court prohibit the Court from issuing a summons on any new unlawful detainer complaints, with limited exceptions for urgent public health and safety matters. For matters involving violence, threats of violence, and/or health and safety issues, parties should provide documents with the filing, such as a declaration under oath, relating facts supporting the urgency on those grounds.
- Civil Limited and Unlimited.
- Hearings and filings will proceed under the Civil Emergency Local Rules. Hearings from May 18, 2020 through May 27, 2020, will go forward on fully-briefed matters. Briefs for hearings on May 28, 2020, or thereafter must be filed under normal statutory timeframes even if that requires a filing during the closure period. Review the Civil Emergency Local Rules for further information.
- The CourtCall process in the Civil Emergency Local Rules will be used for all hearings until further notice. Do not come to Court for your hearings.
- Review the Complex Emergency Local Rules for procedures for Complex cases.
- Probate. All matters should be submitted via drop box. The Probate File Examiner Office will not be open to accept ex parte submissions until further notice. Review the Probate Emergency Local Rules for information on hearings and use of remote technology. The Probate department will be providing additional guidance separately.
- Criminal Virtual and Emergency Courtrooms. These courtrooms will close as of May 26, 2020, except by written stipulation of the parties approved by the Presiding Judge.
Recently, the school districts in Contra Costa County proudly submitted their 2020-2021 Teacher of the Year (TOY) candidates to the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE). The newly honored teachers are not only recognized for their outstanding education achievements, but they also represent the approximately 8,600 teachers educating more than 177,000 students in Contra Costa County’s public schools. (See TOY list below.)
Currently, the upcoming school year’s 22 TOYs represent 17 (of 18) Contra Costa County school districts, the Contra Costa Community College District, and the Contra Costa County Office of Education. Most of these representatives, those who teach grades K thru 12, are eligible to compete in the Contra Costa County TOY competition. The two top teachers in the county TOY program will represent Contra Costa County in the California State TOY Program this coming fall.
“We are extremely proud of the Teachers of the Year, Class of 2020-2021,” reports Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Lynn Mackey. “When you review their TOY applications and their heartfelt letters of recommendation, it is quite evident that these teachers were thoughtfully selected to represent their schools and school districts, while at the same time truly embody what is best about public education in Contra Costa County.”
The county’s TOY program is coordinated by the CCCOE, and the judging usually combines a three-stage selection process, with a point and percentage system to determine the final candidates. But due to the COVID-19 emergency, this year’s selection process is the following:
I Application Screening:
During the weeks of April 27-May 8, a committee of 15 judges, representing the county’s education, business, and public-sector partners carefully reviewed the TOY representative applications submitted by their school districts. This committee independently read and rated each application, privately from their homes or offices. After the application screening and scoring are completed, four teachers will be selected to advance to the next two phases as finalists. The four finalists are expected to be announced on Thursday, May 14.
II Interview:
On, or around, May 28, a small committee of education specialists and former Teachers of the Year will interview the candidates separately and online, discussing topics such as their teaching philosophy and techniques.
III Speech Presentation:
On July 24, the four TOY finalists will each give a three- to five-minute speech to another panel of a dozen educators, business, and public-sector representatives who will judge the finalists on their speech and presentation skills.
Announcement of the two 2020-2021 Contra Costa County Teachers of the Year will take place at the tentatively planned Teacher of the Year Dinner Gala, to be held at the Hilton Concord on September 24th, pending the COVID-19 Shelter in Place directive from county health.
2020-2021 Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year Representatives:
- Marlene Miranda, Acalanes Union High School District, Las Lomas High School
- Robert Vieira, Antioch Unified School District, Antioch Middle School
- Karen Neilson, Brentwood Union School District, Garin Elementary School
- Jennifer Krey Byron Union School District, Excelsior Middle School
- Thomas Barber, Contra Costa Community College District, Diablo Valley College
- Ellyn Hustead, Contra Costa County Office of Education, Mt. McKinley School
- Kellyn M. Jew, John Swett Unified School District, Rodeo Hills Elementary School
- Shirley Ann Padgett, Knightsen Elementary School District, Knightsen Elementary School
- Christina Nitsos, Lafayette School District, Lafayette Elementary School
- Lyndsie J. Memory, Liberty Union High School District, Liberty High School
- Amber Love-Snyder, Martinez Unified School District, Las Juntas Elementary School
- Brett Lorie, Moraga School District, Joaquin Moraga Intermediate School
- Beth Miller Bremer, Mt. Diablo Unified School District, Wren Avenue Elementary School
- Dylan Bland, Mt. Diablo Unified School District, College Park High School
- Kathy Reinders, Oakley Union Elementary School District, Vintage Elementary School
- Katherine Sahm, Orinda Union School District, Del Rey Elementary School
- Taylor Leonna Smith, Pittsburg Unified School District, Rancho Medanos Junior High School
- Sarah Clancy, San Ramon Valley Unified School District, Live Oak Elementary School
- Courtney Konopacky, San Ramon Valley Unified School District, Stone Valley Middle School
- Petra Sauve, Walnut Creek School District, Parkmead Elementary School
- Cesar Dante-Barragan, West Contra Costa Unified School District, Cesar Chavez Elementary School
- Jesus Alfredo Galindo, West Contra Costa Unified School District, Lincoln Elementary School
Note regarding eligible participants:
- Seventeen of the eighteen Contra Costa County school districts represented, and the CCCOE are participating in this year’s TOY program.
- Each year, one instructor from Contra Costa Community College District is submitted to the TOY program for his/her outstanding body of work with their designated college. The colleges rotate each year between Diablo Valley, Los Medanos, and Contra Costa. (These instructors do not compete in the State Teacher of the Year competition.) This year is Diablo Valley College’s turn.
- Due to the larger number of students and teachers in their districts, West Contra Costa USD, Mt. Diablo USD, and San Ramon Valley USD are allowed to submit two TOY candidates
Follow Contra Costa County’s Teacher of the Year program on Twitter and Instagram at: #cocotoy
Read MoreBy Doug Smeath, WGU Communications
SALT LAKE CITY (Grassroots Newswire) May 13, 2020 – David Kang of Pittsburg, California has earned a Bachelor of Science, Nursing degree from Western Governors University (WGU). The online, nonprofit university has graduated over 178,000 students from across the country since its inception in 1997.
Since January 2, 2020, WGU has awarded 6,313 undergraduate and 4,975 graduate degrees. Graduates’ areas of study include business, K-12 education, information technology, and health professions, including nursing. The average time to graduation for those earning a bachelor’s degree was two years, three months, while the average time for graduate programs was one year, six months. The average age of those who graduated is 38 years old.
WGU pioneered competency-based education, which measures learning rather than time spent in class. Designed to meet the needs of working adults, courses allow students to study and learn on their own schedules with individualized, one-to-one faculty support. They complete courses as soon as they demonstrate that they have mastered the subject matter, allowing them to move quickly through material they already know so they can allocate time for what they still need to learn. As a result, many WGU students are able to accelerate their studies, saving both time and money.
About WGU
Established in 1997 by 19 U.S. governors with a mission to expand access to high-quality, affordable higher education, online, nonprofit WGU now serves more than 121,000 students nationwide and has more than 178,000 graduates in all 50 states. Driving innovation as the nation’s leading competency-based university, WGU has been recognized by the White House, state leaders, employers, and students as a model that works in postsecondary education. In just 23 years, the university has become a leading influence in changing the lives of individuals and families, and preparing the workforce needed in today’s rapidly evolving economy. WGU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, has been named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, and was featured on NPR, NBC Nightly News, CNN, and in The New York Times. Learn more at www.wgu.edu.
Read MorePlease run this scathing letter that I wrote about my terrible experience in not getting a COVID-19 test late last week.
But the other part of the story is that it was not read into the record during Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting. Instead it will be “shared” with the supervisors, according to Jami Napier, Chief Assistant Clerk to the BOS.
In an email response she wrote, “This email will be shared with the Board of Supervisors. We are not reading emails into the record at this time.”
I responded, “Shame on you! The agenda states that written comments will be accepted before and during the meeting. I feel that I am being marginalized by the county. I feel cheapened. I cannot even get a Covid test; and then you do this to me. Written comments should also be read into the record. Bad!”
Board of Supervisors Chair Andersen:
The county is playing with the lives of citizens, especially seniors when the county announces free COVID-19 testing for anyone regardless of one’s health, and the county’s out of state telephone message service is unable to properly handle the avalanche of incoming calls. Shame on the county and the telephone service!
Thankfully neither I nor my wife have COVID_19 symptoms, but last Friday I was on the phone 7 hours futilely waiting to make an appointment to line up appointments for free COVID-19 tests. No one answered my call. Incredible!
Later that day I talked to Supervisor Federal Glover who confirmed with that the health department is swamped with calls and is working to resolve the issue. That’s all that he could do for me and my wife. What a bummer!
The problem is, what if someone like myself or my wife, really has COVID-19 symptoms? What do they do then if they cannot make an appointment like I attempted to do? I suppose the answers to those questions is, wait for one’s maker, death!
This situation is unacceptable. The county and supervisors should be held accountable and correct this problem now!
Sincerely,
Daniel & Leslie Borsuk
Pittsburg
Read MoreBy Allen Payton
As of this morning, Tuesday, May 12, 2020 at 11:30 a.m. Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS) is reporting a total of 1,066 cases of COVID-19/coronavirus, and a total of 32 deaths in the county. There are only 18 people diagnosed with the virus currently hospitalized.
There were 14 new cases reported in the past 24 hours, 3 more on Sunday and 12 more cases reported on Saturday.
A total of 19,176 people have been tested for the virus in the county so far.
To see the all the statistics provided by CCHS, click here.
Read MoreBy Pittsburg Police Department
Just after midnight Monday morning, May 11, 2020, Pittsburg Police Officers responded to a report of a traffic collision with injuries in the 900 block of Garcia Avenue. As officers arrived on scene, they found a car had just collided with the front of a parked Semi-Truck Tractor Trailer.
The car was engulfed in flames and officers could see the driver unconscious and trapped inside. Several Pittsburg Police Officers used fire extinguishers to hold back the flames as they began to pull the man from the vehicle. Contra Costa County Fire arrived on scene to assist and took over medical aid. The man was later transported to John Muir Medical Center for further treatment. Unfortunately, due to the extent of his injuries the man was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
The Pittsburg Police Department’s Fatal Accident Response Team took over the investigation to determine the cause of the collision. During the investigation, several witnesses described the car traveling at a high rate of speed on Garcia Avenue just prior to the collision. It is unknown at this time if impairment was a factor in the collision.
The man’s identity is being withheld at this time pending next of kin contacts. No additional information is available at this time.
Read MoreBy Matt Malone, Public Information Officer, Superior Court of California, Contra Costa County
The Court is very pleased to announce the appointment of Gina Dashman as Commissioner. Commissioner Dashman will preside over Department 57, handling traffic, unlawful detainer, small claims, and restraining order matters with morning calendars at the Pittsburg courthouse and afternoon calendars at the Wakefield Taylor courthouse in Martinez. Commissioner Dashman assumed her role effective April 27, 2020.
The 60-year-old Orinda resident is an experienced and accomplished lawyer who, prior to her appointment, was an equity partner at Haapala, Thompson & Abern LLP since 2014, where she had also been an associate since 2009. Previously, she was of counsel at Stein, Rudser, Cohen & Magid from 2002-2009, an associate and partner at Buresh, Kaplan, Jang & Feller from 1988-2002, and an associate at Epstein, Becker & Green from 1986-1988.
Dashman served as President of Women Lawyers of Alameda County from 2018-2019 and on the Board of Directors of the Contra Costa County Bar Association from 2018-2020. She earned her Juris Doctor degree from George Washington University School of Law in 1986 and her Bachelor of Arts degree from U.C. Berkeley in 1983.
According to her LinkedIn profile, Dashman is also a published author of Neighbor Disputes-Law and Litigation, and United States Corporate Disinvestment from South Africa: The Financial Rand and Exchange Control.
Allen Payton contributed to this report.
Read MoreBy Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff
This morning, May 10, 2020, at about 9:28 a.m., Bay Station Deputy Sheriffs were dispatched to a medical-police call at the 700 block of Pebble Drive in El Sobrante. Deputies found a 90-year-old woman who suffered from trauma in a bedroom. She was later pronounced deceased at the scene. She is not being identified at this time.
While at the residence, Deputies detained the victim’s grandson. He was later arrested for homicide. He is identified as 42-year-old Sean Johnson of El Sobrante. He was later booked into the Martinez Detention Facility.
The Crime Lab and Office of the Sheriff homicide detectives responded to the scene.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with any information on this case is asked to contact the Investigation Division at (925) 313-2600. For any tips, email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call (866) 846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.
Read MoreBy CHP – Contra Costa
Friday evening, May 8, 2020 at approximately 9:20 pm, Contra Costa CHP was advised of a vehicle collision vs. a pedestrian on HWY 4 westbound, east of Laurel Road. Upon emergency personnel and CHP arrival, a 29-year-old male pedestrian from Pinole, had been struck by a vehicle and was lying in the roadway. He was pronounced deceased at the scene by emergency personnel. The driver of the Nissan sedan that hit the pedestrian suffered major injuries and she was transported to the hospital. The Contra Costa County Sheriff Coroner’s Office will be handling the release of identify of the deceased male pedestrian.
In the initial investigation, the 23-year-old female driver from Bethel Island was traveling westbound on HWY 4 in a 2012 Nissan Versa, east of Laurel road. For unknown reasons, the male pedestrian was in the roadway and directly in the path of the approaching Nissan. The driver of the Nissan was unable to avoid the pedestrian and collided into him, causing fatal injuries. The driver suffered non-life-threatening but major injuries and was transported to John Muir Hospital in Walnut Creek. Her two passengers in the Nissan were not injured.
This incident is still under investigation. If anyone witnessed this collision or the events leading up to it, please contact Contra Costa CHP in Martinez at (925) 646-4980. Thank you.
Read More![](http://contracostaherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Dr.-Chris-Farnitano-3-20-20-1024x576.png)
Contra Costa County Health Officer Dr. Christ Farnitano speaks during a press conference on Friday, March 20, 2020. Screenshot of YouTube video. Herald file photo.
Continuing to coordinate with other Bay Area counties to determine when more loosening will occur; “Contra Costa is not an island” – Dr. Chris Farnitano
By Allen Payton
In light of Governor Newsom’s recent loosening of the rules on some businesses, including allowing florists to reopen as of today, Friday, May 8, 2020, Contra Costa Health Officer Dr. Chris Farnitano was asked several questions about what appears to be a positive trend and therefore why he’s not following the state’s lead.
The number of cases of those with COVID-19 in hospitals in the county peaked around April 14 at 47 and has continued to drop to just 16 as of today. Other statistics on the Contra Costa Health Services Coronavirus Dashboard also show decreases in almost all of the statistics tracked. The only statistic that continues to increase is the number of new cases, which is currently at 1,015. But, the dashboard doesn’t currently show how many of the 1,017 people who have tested positive in our county have recovered. The total number of deaths is currently at 29 and hasn’t increased since Monday, May 4.
Q: How many have recovered? When will we see that statistic on the Contra Costa Health website?
Dr. Farnitano: We’re waiting for the state and the CDC for a definition. Most people recover within 14 days. So, we’re working on a definition that if It’s been 14 days, you’re not in the hospital, and not dead, you’ve recovered. The data team that works on the website, we’re hoping to next week have that statistic on the website. Marin County is using something similar to that.
Q: With the continued reduction in numbers of those with the virus in the hospital in our county, do you see we are heading in the right direction?
Dr. Farnitano: We are definitely heading in the right direction. It’s both decreasing hospital numbers and decreasing the number of new cases. That gave us confidence in allowing all construction and all outdoor and most outdoor recreation, this past Monday. It takes two or three weeks to see after things are loosened up if cases don’t start to increase, again. So, there’s a little bit of a lag. We really haven’t seen the effects of the health order change on May 3rd.”
Q: Asked specifically about why he wouldn’t allow florists to reopen in time for Mother’s Day and what’s the difference if they use curbside delivery and everyone’s wearing their masks, he responded, “grocery stores are essential businesses, but florists are not. Essential businesses are allowed to sell non-essential items.”
Q: Why can’t you follow the lead of the governor?
Dr. Farnitano: We’re trying to work together (with the other Bay Area counties). Contra Costa is not an island and there’s lots of travel for work and shopping with Alameda County. What’s happening in Alameda County and San Francisco affects Contra Costa. The other counties’ statistics aren’t as good as Contra Costa County’s.
Q: If things are looking good in the next few weeks is it possible the shelter in place order can end on May 31st?
Dr. Farnitano: If we keep trending in the right way we can have more loosening.
Q: Asked if he’s been adding new criteria and raising the bar or just being more specific about what was already in place?
Dr. Farnitano: Some of it’s being more specific. There’s got to be a lot of social distancing requirements to open back up the economy. Wearing masks and social distancing are going to be in place for quite a long time, in order to open back up shopping and dining.
Q: What about churches opening for services, again?
Dr. Farnitano: The state has more details for their phases. In-person church gatherings and other public gatherings, they have in their Phase Three. A local order can’t allow anything looser than the state.
Q: On a more personal note, did you ever think you would have to use your authority to deal with something other than a temporary shelter in place order for something such as a chemical release?
Dr. Farnitano: I actually became a deputy health officer about five years ago. One of the health officers at that time who trained me told me, “there are tremendous powers in the health officer. Try not to use them and use them very wisely.” One of the main purposes of the statutory authority is for outbreaks and diseases. This is such an overwhelming event that it’s much more than I did really ever sort of plan for or expect. Ever since the H1N1 we’ve had these pandemic outbreak plans and that these social distancing tools would be one of the most effective tools. We didn’t expect this to go on so long. Farnitano has also been personally affected by the shelter-in-place order, as he had to watch his middle son get married in Georgia via Facebook Live, last week.
“When Chris makes decisions that affect us, it weighs heavy on him,” shared Kim McCarl, Contra Costa Health Communications Officer.
With the increase in tests at eight different drive-up or walk-up sites, for anyone in the county who wants one, regardless if they are experiencing symptoms of the virus, “that will help us get the economy open quicker,” she said. (See related article).
For more statistical details about COVID-19 in Contra Costa County visit https://www.coronavirus.cchealth.org/.
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