With no advance notice, Northampton County Courthouse has closed its doors to the public. There is nothing on the County's Facebook page or website to indicate this has happened. A courthouse operator states the courthouse has closed its doors to the public. I have asked Executive Lamont McClure what is happening, and will pass this information along when received.
What this means is that it will be impossible for people who need "essential" judicial functions to make their desires known. It will be impossible to convey real estate, record mortgages or probate estates.
Executive Lamont McClure claims he has had to press "pause" because other counties are sending people here.
Statement from County Executive Lamont McClure:
“The Northampton County Courthouse is temporarily closed to visitors. Northampton County had a plan to serve its residents with respect to the core functions that are performed here. Specifically, Northampton County aggressively implemented a strategy of telecommuting and reducing the workforce to essential employees so that Northampton County residents could have safe access during this time of social distancing to Revenue (The in-person payment of property taxes), Prothonotary (The filing of lawsuits. Applying for passports), Wills (Marriage licenses, Probating Wills, Child Custody), Deeds (Recording of Deeds, Searching Titles), and the Criminal Division (The payment of fees, fines costs and restitution to victims of crime). While we respect the right of every county not to offer core services to their residents during the National Emergency caused by the spread of Covid-19, we have received multiple reports that counties that are not open for the public’s business were/are suggesting that people who need to apply for passports and marriage licenses come to Northampton County to do so. While we had a sound plan, considering the dictates of social distancing, for serving the residents of Northampton County, it became apparent that we would not be able to safely serve the citizens of Northampton County as well as the citizens of other counties as well. Therefore, we will press pause, assess our plan, and re-open to the citizens of Northampton County as soon as we believe we can do so safely.”
“This evening’s County Council scheduled for 6:30 PM and held at the Courthouse is open to the public. It is your right to attend, however, County Council strongly advises you to watch the livestreamed meeting on YouTube to maintain social distancing.”
County Council Meetings may be viewed on YouTube at the following channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYbPLqdMR1dkl9R95Rlq8rw
This, of course, is nonsense. If Bucks County is sending people to the courthouse for passports or marriage licenses, you can simply tell them those services are for county residents only. The action taken by McClure means people who need to file summons or appeals by today are unable to do so. No bank is going to cut a check for the sale of a home or loan if unable to get a title searched or a bringdown performed. A woman who is beaten silly by her husband will have no recourse from the courts.
What's really happening here is that government is being unresponsive to the very people it is supposed to serve.
Today's one-liner: "The shortest way to the distinguishing excellence of any writer is through his hostile critics." Richard LeGallienne
Local Government TV
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Thursday, March 19, 2020
29 comments:
You own views are appreciated, especially if they differ from mine. But remember, commenting is a privilege, not a right. I will delete personal attacks or off-topic remarks at my discretion. Comments that play into the tribalism that has consumed this nation will be declined. So will comments alleging voter fraud unless backed up by concrete evidence. If you attack someone personally, I expect you to identify yourself. I will delete criticisms of my comment policy, vulgarities, cut-and-paste jobs from other sources and any suggestion of violence towards anyone. I will also delete sweeping generalizations about mainstream parties or ideologies, i.e. identity politics. My decisions on these matters are made on a case by case basis, and may be affected by my mood that day, my access to the blog at the time the comment was made or other information that isn’t readily apparent.
You act surprised. I wondered why it was taking so long. The country is shutting down.
ReplyDeletePreppers are rejoicing in their bunkers. Listen closely and you can hear them under the ground... We warned you!
ReplyDeleteLet's say some woman was beaten silly by her husband last night. So this morning, she comes to the courthouse to seek a PFA. She is turned away bc the courthouse is closed to the public. She returns home, and her husband kills her. All because the county was annoyed about doing passports for Bucks County residents. This is nonsense.
ReplyDeleteEmergency PFA's can still be obtained through local law enforcement--same as they would be after hours.
DeleteSo I guess they are essentially saying we can't sell real estate anymore? Without Title searches we're done :(
ReplyDeleteUncontested motions should be handled by email anyway. Subsequent filings on existing cases could be emailed as well. The federal courts are way ahead on this. The Recorder of Deeds should open the process to more than one or two electronic filers. I use erecording Partners at only $4 a document with no subscription fee and the surrounding counties use it! But not Easton. Wake Up! we are 20 years into the 21st century. There are hundreds of small things that can be implemented in our new normal. Why has it taken a pandemic to realize this?
ReplyDeletePerhaps someone was in a room where kool-aid was being served by the trump team, yunno blaming - pointing the finger to the chinese? It's a HOAX, all things are under control and only the wealthy will be receiving tests. Nothing to see here...
ReplyDeleteCopied from another source:
ReplyDelete"At the urging of the PA Secretary of Health, on March 18, 2020 the PA Supreme Court issued an order directing that all Pennsylvania Courts are to close to the public. Beginning at close of business on March 19, 2020, and lasting through at least April 3, 2020, all courts will be closed subject to several General and Specific Directives and Exceptions that can be found in the order.
Good morning, Bernie,
ReplyDeleteI think this all happened by order of the PA Supreme Court, which made its decision last night. I think there are provisions for certain things, such as domestic violence.
Have a great one!
This decision has nothing to do with the Supreme Court’s order. People cannot avail themselves of essential court services when they are unable to get in the building
ReplyDelete@ Bernie O’Hare Northampton County Courthouse Court Room #1, will remain open during court business hours, as an essential services court. PJ of the Court of Common Pleas will preside, to handle the following proceedings. Those categories are listed A thru K, Category B is Emergency Petitions for Protections From Abuse. So, there are court protections for emergencies....
ReplyDeleteIf they keep responding to the "invisible enemy" the "hidden threat" by blowing the Aztec whistle the Banks will be next.
ReplyDeleteGuess you are starting to see who your man crush truly is.
ReplyDeleteOur government boarded up, went home, is getting paid, and laughing at the rest of us. There will be riots. Liquor stores will be first. I will be among the rioters. As private businesses quickly pivot to drive-up schemes, our government says, "fuck it and fuck you." They are on the coolest extended vacation of their careers. They hate us for complaining.
ReplyDeleteI love reading your blog Bernie and respect your opinion but on this one, I disagree. Better to err on the side of caution than to risk the lives of the public and the county staff. People were coming to the courthouse for ridiculous things and social distancing was definitely not occurring. We are still working and accepting things through the mail. I'm certain the sheriffs have a protocol for dealing with emergencies, should they arise.
ReplyDeleteThen set up a tent and work outside. That's what my company is doing. Life is tough. Don't be unfeeling and lazy. Serve the damn public at a critical time instead of sending vague edicts over the transom and running back to your Netflix binge.
ReplyDelete3:01PM
ReplyDeleteHow are the local Tax collectors dealing with thousands of Tax payers coming in to pay their Real Estate Taxes?
Out of an abundance of caution should Tax collection be postponed?
Pay your taxes through the mail. Problem solved. Many of you would be the first to bitch or complain , God forbid something was or is to be transmitted at the courthouse. Everyone can wait a few weeks while protecting you , your family and neighbors. Typical me me's. Pitiful
ReplyDeleteTo bad BO..warned you a week ago
ReplyDelete10:17 am realators are the scum that help carry the 2008 crash that is imploding behind the cauldron cooked coronavirus. This virus is just a side effect to spin the realestate scums antics in proping up homesale prices by flopping them to different llc's that cant make the cut than sending in there rent chasers.
ReplyDeleteSo now McClure is also in charge of the county council. We need real legislators in the next election.
ReplyDeleteSo Bernie, you going to council or streaming? It is suggested to watch the meeting by streaming..
ReplyDeleteJust like trump said mexico was paying for the wall, he's now saying china will pay for the global pandemic...
ReplyDelete"So Bernie, you going to council or streaming? It is suggested to watch the meeting by streaming.."
ReplyDeleteI am streaming it.
I was that woman, years ago. He laid hands on me while drunk the night before but because there were no visible marks and he was drunk off his a$$, the police couldn't make him leave (he had not one friend or family member to pick him up). I stayed at my mom's house overnight and headed to the courthouse the next morning when it opened up. I was heard before a judge that very morning. Thus started the process of getting my life back. I served him with divorce papers at the next hearing... I cannot imagine not being able to do this. Furthermore, everyone is stuck at home - domestic disputes are only going to escalate over the coming days as everyone is inside together while it is still cold and their beloved alcohol is not as available as it once was...
ReplyDeleteTo my articulate friend @5:05. To you, I may be scum. My friends and co agents may be scum. But to the people who come to us looking for help and guidance-we're pretty ok. And do we get paid for our services?,yes. I wish I could work for free like you do,living on light and sunshine,riding a unicorn over rainbows,but I have to pay bills-and taxes. And you should be happy that all of our "scum antics" do generate all those tax dollars,because after all,how would you get all those LIHEAP and housing vouchers?
ReplyDeleteBernie - most is accurate with the exception of PFA's those person's were being admitted after the sheriff asked if that is what you were there for. Otherwise they said...take a hike!
ReplyDeleteYou sure have an interesting interpretation. My view is they are acting to protect people. Attorney's offices and realtors are shut down, so what property do you see changing hands?
ReplyDeleteApparently not the case at the Norco Courthouse on Monday 3/23 . Heard from several reliable sources that an attorney(s) was in the courthouse out side of the judicial offices were they are to be and entering other offices which were to be off limits to all the public. So much for following the law and rules. As I've stated before Lawyers are legal criminals! They don't care about anyone but themselves or $$$$. Pitiful if this is true.
ReplyDelete