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The Lorain County Court of Common Pleas is restricting access to the courthouse and speeding up arraignments and hearings to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The efforts started Wednesday with and will continue indefinitely.

The courts remain open, but Ewers closed the courthouse to the public and moved proceedings to video hearings when possible. All civil and criminal trials were suspended until at least April 13.

The goal, said Court Administrator Sherry Clouser, is to keep everyone working at the court or appearing in front of judges safe.

The new rules will also help move people out of the jail, where the virus would be easily spread.

鈥淪o any of the cases that are pending that are incarcerated in the jail are proceeding,鈥� Clouser said. 鈥淪o yes it would help because those are made the priority hearing, the jail cases are.鈥�

Lorain County has instituted a dedicated arraignment courtroom so other judges can focus on holding hearings, which often result in either a guilty plea and probation or a prison sentence.

, issued March 13, included many of the measures being taken by Lorain County.

O鈥機onnor appeared with Gov. Mike DeWine during Thursday鈥檚 coronavirus update to say she is working with the governor on legislation that would set policies for all county courts during a statewide emergency, such as the coronavirus pandemic.

Lorain County jail鈥檚 assistant administrator, Jim Gordon, said that because of the local court鈥檚 actions, the jail population is now 140 prisoners below its capacity of 422.

鈥淲e don鈥檛 have a goal of what our number should be,鈥� Gordon said. 鈥淚 mean it鈥檚 nice that it鈥檚 low now because that gives us the space, if we would have to isolate, we would have it.鈥�

Two prisoners are currently under quarantine at the Lorain County jail, Gordon said, one whose family called and said he鈥檇 been in contact with a confirmed case. His test for the virus hasn鈥檛 come back yet. The other prisoner in quarantine was his cellmate.