Anyone entering DALA’s office without a mask or who removes a mask while inside DALA’s office is attesting that they are fully vaccinated.
If a party has reason to believe that a witness expected to testify at an in-person hearing will need to wear a mask when testifying, that party shall immediately notify the other parties and the magistrate/hearing officer assigned the case so that alternative methods of obtaining the unvaccinated witness’s testimony may be considered.
Procedure inside a hearing room during a hearing:
1. The number of people allowed in the hearing room will be limited to encourage social distancing.
2. Because of the length of time people will spend together talking during a hearing, masks must be worn in the hearing room except as noted below:
a) Hearing officers/magistrates who have been fully vaccinated may remove their masks while speaking and may allow mask removal as follows:
b) With the presiding officer’s permission, counsel or unrepresented parties may remove their masks, while speaking, provided that they have been fully vaccinated.
c) With the presiding officer’s permission, witnesses who have been fully vaccinated may remove their masks while testifying. Clear masks will be provided to the witness when appropriate.