It’s hard to know what’s open and what’s not these days and the best way to find out is usually just to go there and see if there’s an “Open” sign or just a dark empty building with a note on the door.
But, so you know, the courthouses in Guilford County will be closed for a while.
Some employees working the in the courthouses have tested positive for the COVID-19 and Senior Resident Judge John Craig III has ordered the Greensboro and High Point courthouses closed to the public until Monday, June 22.
That’s not just affecting court cases. It’s also interrupting some services from the Guilford County Sheriff’s Department, which is making some temporary adjustments to its pistol purchase permits and concealed carry handgun permits services.
The department announced on Sunday, June 14 that, effective immediately, all applicants seeking the purchase or the concealed carry permits must begin that application process online rather than in person at the courthouse.
All applicants are being asked to use the Permitium on-line application tool from their homes or from other available computers until the June 22 reopening. The department is also alerting applicants to check later to see whether the Greensboro courthouse closure is extended past June 22.
Once completed online, pistol purchase permit applications can be mailed to: Guilford County Sheriff’s Office Room103LE, 201 S. Eugene St. Greensboro, NC, 27401
According to the June 14 statement from the department, “The Sheriff’s Office will also temporarily suspend fingerprinting for Concealed Carry Permits, job applications and background checks. As soon as the Greensboro Courthouse opens back up, the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office will return back to its regular processes of applying for Pistol Purchase Permits, Concealed Carry Handgun Permits and fulfilling requests for fingerprints.”
The statement adds that the closure doesn’t affect the processing of handgun purchase permits at District One, District Two, District Three offices, or at the High Point office.
Yet still, the outdoor shooting ranges remain closed indefinitely. Outdoors. With no date or plan for reopening.
Here’s a question on those CCW permits that have already gone in. State law says must be issued within 90 days. Is the Sheriffs Department going to violate State law? The Sheriff cannot override or modify State law. He does not have that authority. Only the State Legislature has that power. If the law is not followed the Sheriff needs to be charged and sued for breaking State law.