Douglas County district attorney’s office closed to the public through April 3

photo by: Mackenzie Clark/Journal-World File Photo

In this Journal-World file photo from Dec. 17, 2019, Douglas County District Attorney Charles Branson testifies during a civil hearing in Douglas County District Court.

The Douglas County district attorney’s office will be closed to the public through Friday, April 3, according to Cheryl Wright Kunard, assistant to DA Charles Branson.

The closure comes “(f)ollowing a multitude of orders and recommendations” by public health officials at the national, state and local levels, as well as the Kansas Supreme Court’s order restricting judicial operations statewide, Wright Kunard said via email Saturday morning.

“The office will continue to review cases, charge in-custody cases, and proceed with the specific hearings identified in the Supreme Court’s Order,” Wright Kunard wrote.

Residents can still reach the office by calling 785-841-0211 during regular business hours, Wright Kunard said. They can also email districtattorney@douglascountyks.org and access information on the DA’s website at dgcoda.org.

“Our thoughts are with our community as we all navigate this difficult time,” Wright Kunard said.

The DA’s office is one of several entities with operations housed in the Douglas County Judicial and Law Enforcement Center at 111 E. 11th St. The global pandemic coronavirus disease, COVID-19, has altered operations for all of them.

Among the others: Douglas County District Court has restricted access to the public. The Lawrence Police Department and Douglas County Sheriff’s Office have encouraged residents to contact law enforcement by phone whenever possible. Under local and state court orders, Court Services officers have been granted the authority to conduct probation meetings by phone rather than in person.

Several staff members in the DA’s office serve witness subpoenas in person, as recently as this week. Earlier this week, the Journal-World inquired about changes in that regard.

“DA Branson and his staff are identifying effective solutions to the various constraints that are a result of COVID-19 and ensuring proper protocols are in place to protect the health and well-being of our customers, staff, and the Douglas County community,” Wright Kunard said via email Thursday. “… (W)e are prepared to effectively respond to the changes and challenges that may arise from newly received information and/or orders from the national, state, or local level — even when those arrive on a day-by-day, if not more frequent basis.”

More coverage: Coronavirus (COVID-19)

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Find all coverage of city, county and state responses to the virus at: ljworld.com/coronavirus/

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