06/08/2020
MEMORANDUM
Date: June 5, 2020
To: Local Davidson and Davie County Attorneys
From: Wayne Michael
Chief District Judge
_____________________________________________________________________________________
UPDATE
District Civil Court
DAVIDSON COUNTY
For June, I will continue to set dockets with cases previously set for March, April or May dates; and with cases requested to be scheduled in June before the shutdown occurred.
These will be daily dockets, not weekly. No calendar calls will be held.
When you case is scheduled, if everyone is available, your case can be heard if it can be tried in the time allotted. The judge can also pre-try your case at that time if it will be helpful.
You may file calendar requests for uncontested divorces and other short matters for any Monday beginning June 22nd.
This is only for uncontested divorces, motions to withdraw, and other SHORT matters that can be heard in ten (10) minutes or less. Do not try and sneak in longer cases that you know cannot be completed in ten (10) minutes.
Do not file any other calendar requests.
DAVIE COUNTY
For June, I will continue to set dockets with cases previously set on March, April and May dates; and with cases requested to be set for June before the shutdown occurred.
There will be daily dockets, not weekly dockets. No calendar calls will be held.
When your case is scheduled, if everyone is available, your case can be heard if it can be tried in the time allotted. The judge can also pre-try your case at that time if it will be helpful.
You may file calendar requests for uncontested divorces and other SHORT matters for any regular CIVIL week beginning with the July 13th week. This is ONLY for uncontested divorces, motions to withdraw, and other SHORT matters that can be heard in ten (10) minutes or less. Do not try and sneak in longer cases that you know cannot be completed in ten (10) minutes.
Do not file any other calendar requests.
DO NOT attempt to set civil cases for any days other than regular civil days without the prior approval of both Mrs. Drechsler and Judge Michael.
MEMORANDUM
Date: June 5, 2020
To: Local Davidson and Davie County Attorneys
From:Wayne Michael
Chief District Judge
Re: Local Court Information: For DISTRICT COURT purposes only:
CIVIL COURT
NO CALENDAR CALLS
Please do not file any calendar requests for district civil court yet. Let us get the existing requests taken care of first. I will tell you when you can begin filing new calendar requests.
For the week of June 8th, 15th and 22nd, if you have filed a calendar request, you will receive a separate docket for each day that week. The docket is a daily docket, not for the entire week. Your case has been assigned a day and time (without any input from you) during that week. If you can be available, the judge will try and reach your case when scheduled, or to hold a pretrial conference in your case if appropriate.If you are not available, continuances will be liberally granted. In addition, I will try to go back and pick up some cases from the March calendars and calendar requests.
At that point we can evaluate where we are with the backlog of requested cases and begin planning for the next few weeks.
We expect to be in Courtroom D as usual.
CRMINAL COURT
The DA’s office is working very hard to trim the criminal dockets. The dockets will be divided into AM and PM dockets. I believe the ADA’s are trying to place most or all attorney cases on the PM dockets.
No trials in regular district criminal courts.
No add-ons.
DWI Court on Friday’s as usual, including trials
No defendants brought to the courtroom from jail unless absolutely necessary. Please talk to your jail clients ahead of time so we can handle their cases on video.
We expect to be in Courtroom A as usual; DWI Court in Courtroom B on Fridays as usual.
JUVENILE COURT
We are attempting to spread the cases out with approximate times assigned in order to keep the number of people in the courtroom within the allowable numbers.
We have scheduled several extra juvenile court days in Davie to try and reduce the backlog and get the cases back on schedule.We have added some days in Davidson and have set DSS cases on what would normally be days for private cases
We expect to be back in Courtroom B on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COURT
This is our most difficult court in which to spread out the cases and keep the total numbers small. We are adding extra courts as needed when we have large numbers of cases on.Trials will occur as usual.
We expect to be back in Courtroom B on Mondays.
GENERAL
Wear a mask when you come to the courthouse. Tell your clients to wear masks.
Don’t come early. Come at the time your case is set and tell your clients not to come early.
As much as possible, talk to your clients ahead of the court time. I know that is hard with appointed clients, but please try. We want to minimize the time you and your client are in the building and on the premises.
No trials for the next several weeks in the regular district criminal sessions.
Trials will occur in DWI Court and in Juvenile Delinquency Court.
In Civil Court, we will have SHORT trials and hearings only, but not lengthy trials.For Civil Court, whatever the presiding judge can fit into the time allotted can be tried. The Civil Judge will also hold a pre-trial in your case at the scheduled time if that is helpful.
Juvenile A-N-D Court will have hearings as they can be scheduled.
Our bailiffs, clerks, and ADA’s have their hands full. Please thank them.
We’re all new at this. We will see how next week goes and take it from there.
03/25/2020
COURTROOM CHANGE—LEXINGTON
Thursday, March 26 and Friday, March 27
Because of construction, the main Center Street entrance to the courthouse will be closed beginning Thursday, March 26. All events scheduled for Courtroom A will now be held in Courtroom E.
The public can access Courtroom E from the Second Street entrance to the courthouse. The public can access the Clerk’s Office by using the jail/magistrates’ entrance on the Center Street side of the building, beside the jail sally port.
03/24/2020
See below concerning Davidson County Custody Mediation
03/17/2020
March 16th-April 17th
A mixed session of District Court will be held every day. These sessions will handle criminal, civil, domestic violence, juvenile, and all other District Court matters.Most cases will be continued until after April 17th.
For criminal cases where the client is in jail, the court will address pleas and bond motions. Attorneys may work out scheduling of these cases with the District Attorney’s Office if not already on the docket.
For Juvenile Delinquency matters where the client is in secure custody, hearings on continued secure custody will be held if not waived.In A-N-D cases, initial non-secure custody hearings will be held.
The presiding judge will consider all matters which can normally be done in chambers, including emergency ex-parte child custody matters, Ten-day returns or ex-parte or emergency orders will be held.
In Lexington, the mixed session will be held in Courtroom A. The court will be in session and the judge will be present from 9:00am to 4:00pm, Monday through Friday with the usual lunch break from 12:30pm to 2:00pm.
In Lexington, Domestic violence Court will be held as usual every Monday, beginning at 9:30am in Courtroom D.
In Mocksville, the mixed session will be held in the District Courtroom. The court will be in session and the judge will be present on the following schedule:
Mon. Tues. Wed. - 9:30am to 4:00pm with the usual break for lunch from 12:30pm to2:00pm.
Thurs.-9:00am to 4:00pm with the usual break for lunch from 12:30pm to 2:00pm.
Fri. - 9:00am to 12:30pm
03/16/2020
Dear Client,
Please find the update for your case if your case is in Davidson and Davie County only. Your lead counsel with our firm is working for your best interests and the best interests of your case. If you have a specific questions, please email your lead counsel. Thanks and stay well.