Athens courthouse closed due to bedbugs a second time

By Joe Johnson

The courthouse in downtown Athens has been closed at least through the weekend as officials work to combat an infestation by bedbugs.

This is the second time that the Athens-Clarke County Courthouse at at 325 E. Washington St. has had to be temporarily shuttered because of a bedbug infestation since February 2023.

As the result of an emergency judicial order, the building will have limited access from Tuesday through Monday in order to treat for the insects.

Superior Court Chief Judge Lisa Lott’s order has cancelled jury trials and hearings and suspended many judicial activities. Additional orders will address late filing dates, temporary protective orders, and other court-related issues.

The county government has closed all workstations for non-judicial offices.

The affected offices include those of Superior Court, Municipal Court, Probate Court, Magistrate Court, Juvenile Court, State Court, the Clerk of Superior and State Court, Sheriff, Solicitor General, District Attorney, Tax Assessor, Tax Commissioner, Central Services, Records and the mailroom.

The parking deck will remain open as normal.  

For more information visit individual office websites at www.accgov.com or contact the offices through phone or email contacts listed at www.accgov.com/directory.

Emergency contact information for all offices will be posted at the Courthouse entrance.  

After the Athens-Clarke County Central Services Department was made aware of possible bed bugs in areas of the building, it contacted an on-call pest control company for a full assessment. Once the company confirmed the presence of bed bugs, the Central Services Department and Facilities Management Division recommended the temporary closure of the Courthouse to Chief Judge Lott in order to provide the necessary multi-day measures to treat the spaces. Although bed bugs were only found in areas on three levels, the recommended treatment involves closing and treating the entire facility.  

Tentative plans call for treatment through the weekend with a re-opening of the Courthouse on Monday, July 29. Additional entry measures may be required for employees and visitors once the building is re-opened.  

Due to the number of visitors and employees who visit the Courthouse daily, the source of the bed bugs is not known.  

Bed bugs are small, flat, parasitic insects that cannot fly. They are usually transported from place to place as people travel. Bed bugs can be transported from many different sources, including schools, hotels, and used furniture. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), bed bugs are not known to spread disease and do not usually pose a serious medical threat. Bed bugs have been found in five-star hotels and resorts and their presence is not determined by the cleanliness of the living conditions where they are found.  

For more information on bed bugs, visit resources from the CDC (www.cdc.gov/bed-bugs), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (www.epa.gov/bedbugs), or the Georgia Department of Public Health (dph.georgia.gov/environmental-health/insects-and-diseases).

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