Miami-Dade County courthouse employee tests positive for COVID-19

Employee worked at Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building on March 10, March 11

An employee at the Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building in Miami has tested positive for COVID-19, the courthouse confirmed Tuesday.

MIAMI – An employee at the Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building in Miami has tested positive for COVID-19, the courthouse confirmed Tuesday.

According to a notice posted on the courthouse website, the employee worked in Judge William Altfield’s courtroom -- Courtroom 6-2 -- on March 10 and March 11.

Anyone who was inside the courtroom on either day is asked to follow the self-monitoring guidelines created by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Those who show any symptoms associated with the coronavirus, including fever, cough or difficulty breathing, are asked to self-isolate and call their healthcare provider or their local health department to determine whether a medical evaluation is needed.

The following court matters are continuing amid the coronavirus pandemic:

  • First appearances
  • Arraignment hearings for in-custody defendants; defendant’s presence is not needed.
  • Baker Act & Marchman Act hearings
  • Juvenile shelter and detention hearings
  • Filing of emergency petitions for temporary injunctions

Click here for the latest updates on Miami-Dade County courthouses.


About the Authors:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.

In January 2017, Hatzel Vela became the first local television journalist in the country to move to Cuba and cover the island from the inside. During his time living and working in Cuba, he covered some of the most significant stories in a post-Fidel Castro Cuba.