MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N.C. -- The Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office is asking the courts to stop issuing eviction orders and announced changes to jail visitations because of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Sheriff Garry McFadden says, by law, deputies have to carry out eviction orders which are issued by the courts. Currently, he says 75 evictions are in the pipeline.           

Sheriff McFadden is asking Mecklenburg County Courts to put the process on hold for 30 days. He says that way families don't have to worry about being homeless at an especially bad time.

"We have a crisis of homelessness in Charlotte prior to this, so we are just don't want to add to that problem. We are just asking people to take a step back, let's look at this to help our citizens," he said.

We reached out to North Carolina's 26th judicial district overseeing Mecklenburg County courts. A spokeswoman says hearings to start the eviction process have been postponed until April 13.

Additionally, the office says all face-to-face and video visitations in Mecklenburg County Detention Centers are suspended. Gun permits and registration has also been suspended until further notice to comply with CDC social distancing guidelines.