Monroe County Courthouse closed for electrical problems; hearings held elsewhere, online

Max Augugliaro, Pocono Record
Updated ·1 min read

Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly attributed John Christy’s quotes to a different person.

On Wednesday, the Monroe County Courthouse closed unexpectedly.

A notification on the Monroe courts website, titled “Unscheduled Closure,” stated that the courthouse building was closed, with scheduled proceedings continuing through virtual means, or at alternate locations.

Monroe County Commissioner John Christy confirmed to the Pocono Record that the closure was due to a power transformer problem.

A screenshot of the notifications on the Monroe County court website, taken on Sept. 13, 2023.
A screenshot of the notifications on the Monroe County court website, taken on Sept. 13, 2023.

“On Monday night, we had a power surge that knocked off our transformer,” Christy said.

Judges scheduled a mix of in-person and virtual hearings on Wednesday. On Thursday, judges have scheduled their meetings either at the administration building or via Zoom.

The Sarah Street entrance, as seen here on Sept. 13, 2023, is where courthouse visitors typically enter while the building undergoes an expansion and renovation project.
The Sarah Street entrance, as seen here on Sept. 13, 2023, is where courthouse visitors typically enter while the building undergoes an expansion and renovation project.

Christy was hopeful that the courthouse would be reopen by Monday.

“We have located a replacement transformer, and we are installing that transformer, and hopefully, we’ll be up running shortly,” said Christy.

This article originally appeared on Pocono Record: Monroe courthouse closed for electrical problem, could reopen Monday