BANGOR – Maine courtrooms will be closed next week to all but emergency matters to allow judges and court clerks to catch up with paperwork.

Two weeklong shutdowns a year have become routine over the past five years. One is held in the fall and another in the spring.

In addition to the courtrooms being mostly idle, court clerks’ offices will be closed until noon throughout the state from Oct. 29 to Nov. 2. Clerks also will not answer telephones between 8 a.m. and noon.

Regular court hours – 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. – will resume on Monday, Nov. 5.