By Gary D. Robertson
Associated Press

RALEIGH — North Carolina’s new chief justice says he’s asked Gov. Roy Cooper to consider getting COVID-19 vaccines more quickly to local court officials to meet a state constitutional requirement that “all courts shall be open.”

Speaking at Wednesday’s online installation ceremony for himself and two new justices, Chief Justice Paul Newby said “access to justice through the courts is not a luxury — it’s a mandate.”

Newby, a Republican who as an associate justice narrowly defeated then-Chief Justice Cheri Beasley in November, said he’s communicated with Cooper to “enhance the availability of the vaccine to the courthouse personnel who bravely and I even say courageously open the courts to fulfill our constitutional mandate.”

Under the current schedule from the state Department of Health and Human Services, essential workers in the legal field who aren’t at least 65 or who have high-risk medical conditions could have to wait for some time before having vaccine access. Data early this week showed North Carolina lagging most other states when it came to the rate of administering vaccine doses to individuals.

Sharon Gladwell, a North Carolina Judicial Branch spokeswoman, said the vaccination request seeks to cover all court officials, including clerks, district attorneys and magistrates.

Cooper Press Secretary Dory MacMillan said late Wednesday the governor hasn’t spoken to Newby about the assistance but “the request has been received and is being considered by health officials.”

Court activities in all 100 counties have been dramatically scaled back since the pandemic began.

During 2020, Beasley largely issued statewide orders that delayed jury trials for months and stopped nonessential activities. By the fall, Beasley said jury trials could resume if the top local Superior Court judge created a safety plan. A case surge led Beasley in mid-December to delay most court proceedings statewide for 30 days, through Jan. 13.

During their campaign, Newby took issue with Beasley’s statewide court limits and prohibitions, saying local courts should decide how to operate. Newby on Wednesday acknowledged the issue was a difficult one, calling the balance between health protections and the mandate “the great stress of our times.”

More than half of the county courthouses in the state have been partially or completely closed due to COVID-19 cases, and hundreds of Judicial Branch officials or employees have tested positive, the state court system has said.