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.