South Florida Federal Courthouses Ordered To Close Wednesday 'In Interest Of Public Safety'
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – All federal courthouses in the Southern District of Florida have been ordered to close on Wednesday, Inauguration Day, "in the interest of public safety."
The order, signed by Chief U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore says Federal courthouses in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Fort Pierce, and Key West, including Bankruptcy Court and Probation, will be closed.
All court staff at these locations are being asked to work for home and all video and audio hearings and trials will proceed as currently scheduled. However, magistrate duty court hearings will not be held.
The Clerk's Office public intake windows will also be closed, but staff will be available by phone for other services.
It's not known if the closure order was signed due to possible protests in connection with the inauguration of Joe Biden, but government buildings in Tallahassee are closed through Inauguration Day along with Tallahassee City Hall and the Leon County courthouse as well.
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The decision to close those buildings came after the FDLE released a statement last week saying it was aware of possible protests and violence at state capitols.
In Tallahassee over the weekend, however, all remained quiet.
