Mower County Court Administration officials are taking a rare, proactive approach ahead of Thursday’s winter storm.

All court dates scheduled for Thursday afternoon (1 to 4:30 p.m.) and Friday morning (8:30 a.m. to noon) in Mower County will be rescheduled, so people won’t need to be out during the storm that’s expected to drop 8 to 10 inches of snow and bring high winds to the area Thursday.

“We are taking a proactive approach,” Court Operations Supervisor Krissy Bartness said.

Bartness admitted it’s rare for courts to take such an approach, but she and other officials see it as a good idea for ensuring residents’ safety.

The 20 to 25 court appearances scheduled in Judge Donald Rysavy’s court room Thursday afternoon and Friday morning will likely be rescheduled next week, so there shouldn’t be much of a delay, according to Bartness. No court appearances are scheduled in Judge Fred Wellmann’s courtroom.

The Mower County Government Center and Mower County Jail and Justice Center, including Court Administration, will still remain open unless the county or state chooses to close the buildings. Court Administration is a state entity.