Jasper County courthouse closed after COVID-19 cases; disinfecting will delay reopening

Jasper County temporarily closed its courthouse after a significant number of employees tested positive for COVID-19, social media posts and county officials said.

Keith Horton, Jasper County’s clerk of court, posted on social media that the courthouse was closed until further notice because multiple employees had tested positive. Laura Malphrus, the county’s chief deputy clerk of court, confirmed the closure and its cause by phone and said the building was scheduled to be disinfected on May 7; because of chemicals used in the cleaning process, employees were advised the courthouse would not reopen until May 11. Malphrus did not disclose how many employees tested positive.

The segment placed the closure in a broader public-health context, noting that COVID-19 remains an active infectious disease and referencing World Health Organization definitions and national case/death figures for background. The program did not include details about how courthouse services would be handled while the facility was closed or whether remote options were available.

County officials quoted in the segment did not provide a case count; officials and the public seeking confirmation or guidance should contact Jasper County’s clerk of court for updates.