NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Days after the Davidson County juvenile courts were closed except for emergency hearings, Juvenile Court Judge Sheila Calloway tested positive for COVID-19.
On Monday, Judge Calloway said in a statement that the Tennessee Supreme Court granted them permission to hold only emergency court hearings due to three confirmed COVID-19 cases among court employees.
Two of the three who tested positive are Juvenile Court Magistrate Mike O'Neil and a juvenile court attorney. The Tennessee Supreme Court gave them permission to stop hearing most cases beginning Friday, Sept. 25.
Judge Sheila Calloway released the following statement on Monday to NewsChannel 5 about the change:
"Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have had employees and court partners test positive sporadically. Through careful contact tracing and other proactive measures, we have been able to keep the virus largely under control at Juvenile Court. Because of an uptick in positive test results that began on Friday, September 25th, we have received permission from the Tennessee Supreme Court to return to holding only emergency court hearings at Juvenile Court at this time. Our thoughts are with our employees and court partners as they recover from the virus.”
And two days after releasing that statement, Judge Calloway also tested positive for the virus, according to Deputy Court Administrator Tommy Bradley, who says Calloway won't return until she is medically cleared.
