L.A. County courts are ordered closed Monday due to protests

All Los Angeles County Superior Court proceedings will be suspended through at least Monday in response to ongoing protests, according to a statement issued Sunday by Presiding Judge Kevin Brazile.

“Out of an abundance of caution, I am taking the extraordinary step of closing our courthouses tomorrow to protect the safety of the public, judicial officers and employees,� Brazile said. “This is not a decision I make lightly. But public safety is always our paramount concern.�

Brazile did not say when the courts, which handle both criminal and civil cases, would reopen.

The decision to temporarily shutter the nation’s largest trial court comes after a raucous weekend of protests triggered by the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck.

Around 80% of the courtrooms in the county’s 38 courthouses were already closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Some clerk’s office services are expected to resume on June 15.