Affected public offices in the Courthouse include the Superior Court, Municipal Court, Probate Court, Magistrate Court, Juvenile Court, State Court, the Clerk of Superior and State Court, the Sheriff’s Office, the Solicitor General’s Office, the District Attorney’s Office, the Tax Assessors Office, the Tax Commissioner’s Office, and Central Services Records and Mail Room.
The courthouse parking deck will remain open as normal.
Athens-Clarke County Central Services Department was made aware of possible bed bugs in areas of the building and contacted an on-call pest control company for a full assessment.
Once the company confirmed that there were bed bugs, the Central Services Department and Facilities Management Division recommended the temporary closure of the courthouse to treat the spaces.
Although bed bugs were only found in areas on three levels, the recommended treatment involves closing and treating the entire facility.
Superior Court Chief Judge Lisa Lott issued a judicial emergency order on Monday to close the courthouse, cancel jury trials and hearings, and suspend many judicial activities.
The acting Athens-Clarke County Unified Government Manager Niki Jones has also closed workstations for non-judicial offices in the courthouse.
Tentative plans call for treatment through the weekend with a re-opening of the courthouse on Monday, July 29. Additional entry measures may be required for employees and visitors once the building is re-opened.
Due to the number of visitors and employees who visit the courthouse daily, the source of the bed bugs is not known.
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