Warshauer Woodward Atkins – COVID 19 Update

Apr 8, 2020

UPDATE 5/4/2020: Chief Justice Harold D. Melton announced today that he will extend the current Statewide Judicial Emergency through June 12, 2020. The new order will continue the suspension of all civil jury trials. Chief Justice Melton has not yet issued his order, but once he has, we will update this page with more details regarding his Order.

As has been the case throughout the pandemic, Warshauer Woodward Atkins remains open to address your legal needs.


UPDATE: On April 6, 2020, Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Harold D. Melton extended the judicial emergency through May 13, 2020. We continue to work to provide uninterrupted service to all our clients and new clients throughout this public health emergency.


First and foremost, we hope this letter finds you healthy and managing during these unusual times.  Our thoughts are with those suffering from Coronavirus – particularly the healthcare workers who are on the front lines of the epidemic, workers who are not able to work and are not getting paid, and the children who are not able to go to school and whose parents are trying to keep them entertained.  It is certainly a stressful time for us all!

As your lawyers, we know you might be curious about how this epidemic is impacting your case.  Although it is too early to provide a full answer, here is what we know so far. On March 14, 2020, Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Harold D. Melton declared a Statewide Judicial Emergency, through April 13, 2020.  This order applies to all of the courts in Georgia, and states that courts should remain open to address only “essential functions.”  The order cancels all civil trials scheduled through mid-April; and suspends most deadlines during the time of the judicial emergency.  Additionally, the order does leave open the possibility that it could be extended if necessary.  States where we have other cases have similar orders, putting a temporary halt on all but the most essential tasks in our legal system.

The bad news is, this emergency may create delay in your case. The good news is, all of us at Warshauer Woodward Atkins, are well-positioned to weather this storm.  First, we are still here – Protecting Families, Demanding Justice and Getting Results. The goal remains the same.

Secondly, prior to this epidemic, we have always heavily invested in technology to help us provide you with the best legal representation possible.  While many firms are trying to figure out how to handle meetings, depositions or court hearings, via video conference, we’ve been utilizing video conferencing in our office years ago.  You may have heard recently about a technology called Zoom, which is being used by schools and work places throughout the country.  We started using Zoom last year and are simply using it more during this time.  All of our employees have the ability to work remotely and have full access to your files electronically through our case management system.

While the legal system adjusts to this unfortunate epidemic, and how it impacts their work, we here at Warshauer Woodward Atkins are committed to moving your case forward.  We have seen some cancelations; however, we are working with opposing counsel to reschedule matters and keep things moving.  And, we are taking this time to look at your case and determine what more we can do to fight for your rights and secure full compensation for your injuries.

For the time being, our office remains open with limited staff rotating into the office, while the rest of us work remotely.  We are exercising social distancing and following CDC guidelines to keep ourselves healthy and prevent spread to those who are more vulnerable and susceptible.  If you are curious about what steps the CDC recommends, you can see their guidelines for protection and prevention here:  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/prevention.html.

Since we are always working on your behalf, feel free to call us at (404) 892-4900 if you have any questions about your case or how it has been impacted by the judicial emergency order.  If you want to meet face-to-face, we can set up a Zoom video conference and give you instructions on how to use it.  Even if you don’t have a computer or tablet, if you have a mobile phone, Zoom will work in most cases.

In the meantime, please stay safe.  Follow CDC Guidelines so that you stay healthy and we can stop the spread of the Coronavirus.

Categories: