Federal CARES Act money and an agreement with the Port of Grays Harbor will allow the Grays Harbor Superior Court to use the old Overstock.com call center building at the Satsop Business Park for jury trials starting in “very early May,” said Presiding Superior Court Judge David Edwards.

Existing courtrooms in Montesano did not have the space needed to hold jury trials safely, considering COVID distancing requirements, so jury trials were held at the Elma Fairgrounds between August and mid-December.

“Then we had to terminate that ourselves in early December when the infection rate just became so high in Grays Harbor County we didn’t feel like we could operate safely out there,” said Edwards. “And in the meantime some of the restrictions were eased up and the fairgrounds manager felt he could start scheduling events in there.”

For the past several weeks, the county had been scouting potential locations. To figure out how to configure courtrooms for safe jury trials, Edwards and others met at the just-under 23,000 square foot building that housed the Overstock call center until the company ceased operations there in January.

The county began working with the Port and funding was sought. Just this week, funding was approved.

“We submitted a grant application for some CARES Act money, and that was approved (this week), and the county commissioners approved some additional funding if we need it,” said Edwards. The former call center space will be converted “into two court rooms, that we hope to have operational by very early May.”

Preliminary lease terms for the building dated Feb. 18 have the monthly cost of renting the space at just over $19,300. Edwards said he believes they have the funding in place to carry jury trials at the business park through the end of the calendar year.

“The plan is to conduct the jury trials there until such time as we are able to resume at the courthouse, and that can’t be until all social distancing requirements (are lifted),” said Edwards.

Just when that will be is of course unknown.

“If the vaccination program proceeds as everybody hopes it will we may be able to get back into the Courthouse in the fall,” said Edwards. “We certainly hope to be back in our courtrooms in January 2022.”