Judges can close courts, urgent diligence safeguarded tomorrow

O The Superior Council of the Magistracy (CSM) today left to the judges presidents the partial or total closure of the courts on Wednesday, noting that the urgent procedures must take place, according to an order obtained by Lusa.

“ I delegate to the judges chairpersons of the courts the adoption, depending on the concrete circumstances verified in each court and on the evolution of weather conditions, of decisions appropriate to the situation, including, where necessary, the total or partial closure of the premises”, determined in an order dated today the vice-president of the management body of the judges.

Luís Azevedo Mendes warned, however, that “the necessary operation should be ensured to carry out the indispensable urgent service”, namely “in relation to children and young people in danger”, “acts of an urgent nature in educational guardianship processes” and trial and other diligence with defendants arrested.

“ The decisions adopted should take into account the locally verified conditions and guidelines issued by the civil protection competent authorities and the implementation of the above-mentioned essential urgent acts should always be ensured”, concluded the Vice-President of the CSM.

Continental Portugal will be on alert between 00:00 and 23:59 Wednesday, due to the foreseeable worsening of the state of time, announced today the Government, which determined the closure of schools and other non-essential educational institutions and public services.

“Stay at home all you can. I call on all employers to be understanding. Tomorrow [Wednesday] will be a day of absolute exception and it is necessary to be collected at home and protected”, said the Minister of Internal Administration, Luís Neves, during a press conference at the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC), in Carnaxide, municipality of Oeiras.

According to the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA), it is scheduled for Wednesday “the occurrence of heavy rain or shower periods, accompanied by strong wind, with bursts that can reach 120 km/h and, in case of formation of the phenomenon ‘sting jet’, exceed 150 km/h”, the Ministry of Internal Administration, in a statement.

The ‘sting jet’ is a rare weather phenomenon, which has already occurred during storm Kristin earlier this year, and which consists of an air stream that quickly descends into an extratropical depression and can reach the surface with great intensity.

The weather scenario has “potential to cause [...] floods, falls of trees and infrastructure and disturbances in the energy and communications networks”, warned guardianship.