Private beach owners who have filed suit to have the county’s April 2 order closing private as well as public beaches overturned were granted an emergency hearing on a motion for injunction. The beaches were ordered closed while the COVID-19 epidemic runs its course.

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PENSACOLA — U.S. District Court Judge Roger Vinson has declared a Monday hearing on issues pertaining to Walton County’s closing of its private beaches off limits to the public.

Private beach owners who have filed suit to have the county’s April 2 order closing private as well as public beaches overturned were granted an emergency hearing on a motion for injunction. The beaches were ordered closed while the COVID-19 epidemic runs its course.

An injunction would allow the owners to access their beaches while the lawsuit is pending. A telephonic hearing on the motion has been set for 10:30 a.m., Monday.

But a courtroom deputy asked Friday by a reporter to provide access information to listen in on the hearing was told “only attorneys of record will be allowed to call in.”

►RELATED: CORONAVIRUS: Public beaches empty in Okaloosa, Walton as closure mandates enter first full week

The courtroom deputy said Vinson offered no explanation for the order.

Kent Safriet, who filed the lawsuit contesting the closing of the private beaches as well as the motion for emergency injunction, said he had no knowledge as to why the hearing was closed.

Other attorneys with clients potentially impacted by the litigation are also being denied access to the hearing.

The lawsuit itself was filed April 6 and names 15 individuals, couples or trusts, including former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and his Angus B. Wiles Trust, as plaintiffs.

The county and Sheriff Michael Adkinson are named as defendants in the case.

The suit claims the Walton County Commission violated both the U.S. and Florida constitutions with its April 2 vote to amend a previous COVID-19 emergency response ordinance and declare all 26 miles of beach within its jurisdiction closed.

►RELATED: CORONAVIRUS: Huckabee and other Walton property owners challenge beach closure in COVID-19 crisis

It also claims the county is violating the due process rights of the homeowners and has authorized the Sheriff’s Office to “occupy and threaten the arrest or physical removal” of homeowners, their families, or guests on their own property.

The emergency motion for injunction calls on Vinson to rule “to ensure private property owners rights are allowed to immediately use their property” as the lawsuit moves forward.