Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information

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February 22, 2022

The Cohen Defense Group cares about your health and well-being as you navigate the criminal justice system.  It is important to us to keep you and our employees safe during this difficult time.  As the attorneys in the Cohen Defense Group appear regularly in court, serve custodial populations, and come in close contact with a large variety of people throughout the day, we are all vaccinated.  To ensure our availability for our clients, we are taking appropriate precautions to avoid contracting COVID-19 and to avoid having to quarantine due to virus exposure. It is our policy to require that you wear a face covering in our office if you are not vaccinated. In addition, the person you are meeting with in our office may require vaccine verification and the use of a face covering, even if you are vaccinated.   

We continue to offer free consultations.  Let us know if you would prefer to schedule a phone consultation, a Zoom meeting, or an in-person meeting at our office.  

As of February 16, 2022, the Placer County Courts require anyone entering the courthouse to follow current California Department of Public Health and Placer County Public Health Orders regarding the use of face coverings.  Regardless of vaccination status, face coverings shall be worn at all times when in the following areas of the courthouse:

  • Courtrooms
  • Clerk’s Office and Public Counters
  • Jury Assembly and Jury Deliberation
  • Conference Rooms

In their most recent Public Notice, posted on January 7th, 2022, (http://www.placer.courts.ca.gov/public_notice/COVID/Public%20Notice_COVID-19%20-%20Updated%20January%2007%20%202022_FINAL%20v2.pdf) the court announced the following mitigation plan through at least February 18, 2022: 

  • Jury trials will be assigned on a limited basis. 
  • The court highly encourages parties to appear remotely pursuant to the court’s Emergency Local Rules and information located on the court’s Remote Appearance webpage.

    Placer Superior Court Emergency Local Rules: http://www.placer.courts.ca.gov/forms/Emergency%20Local%20Rules_Updated%20Eff ective%201%201%202022.pdf

    Remote Appearance webpage:
    http://www.placer.courts.ca.gov/RAS.shtml
    • The aforementioned changes are intended to reduce the number of individuals attending court hearings in-person. Although remote appearances are not mandated for small claims, civil, probate, and family law, the court continues to encourage remote appearances in these areas.
    • For Criminal Cases – Attorneys are encouraged to utilize P.C. §977 as outlined in the Emergency Local Rules of Court.
  • The court will ensure compliance with face covering mandates. 
  • The court will postpone all Department 30 traffic infraction and non-traffic infraction pre-trial and post-trial matters set January 18, 2022 through February 18, 2022 to an available date at least 12 weeks from the currently scheduled court date. This includes all pay or appear dates for traffic infractions. Defendants in need of a hearing during this time period are encouraged to request a remote appearance by following instructions on the court’s website. The number of remote appearances per day are limited. 
  • The court will postpone all Department 30 traffic misdemeanors, pre- and post-trial hearings set January 18, 2022 through February 18, 2022 to an available date at least eight (8) weeks from the currently scheduled court date. Defendants in need of a hearing during this time period are encouraged to request a remote appearance by following instructions on the court’s website. The number of remote appearances per day are limited. 
  • All other general misdemeanor matters, DUI misdemeanors and Domestic Violence misdemeanors will continue to be heard. 
  • The court will reinstitute the Traffic Ticket: Quick Off-Ramp for the period of January 18, 2022 through February 18, 2022, an alternative program for individuals with a good DMV record. See the court’s website for more information. (http://www.placer.courts.ca.gov/division-traffic-main.shtml)
  • The court will postpone all traffic infraction and non-traffic infraction trials set January 18, 2022 through February 18, 2022 to an available date at least eight (8) weeks out. 
  • Operations and Services not outlined in this Notice remain unchanged.
  • All court clerk’s offices will remain open.

If you believe you are sick or experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or any other communicable disease, or if you are subject to quarantine due to close contact with someone who has COVID-19, please contact the Court Clerk’s Office at 916-408-6000 for further information. If you are represented by an attorney, contact your attorney first before calling the court. Defendants who have posted bail are encouraged to discuss their bail with their attorney and bail bonding company. 

For information on specific cases, please visit the court’s website (http://www.placer.courts.ca.gov) or call 916-408-6000.