Most of the courts that had to shutter due to the effects of Hurricane Dorian expect to be back open for business Friday, although some will stay shut until Monday allowing for evacuees to return home, according to notices posted by the Judicial Council of Georgia Administrative Office of the Courts.

Courts in Evans and Charlton counties reported reopening by Thursday afternoon. The Municipal Court of Ludowici announced plans to resume normal business hours on Friday, as did courts in Glynn and Camden counties of the Brunswick Judicial Circuit. The rest of the courts in the coastal Atlantic Judicial Circuit will remain closed until Monday.

"Due to the mandatory evacuation caused by Hurricane Dorian and the time needed for its population to return, Chatham County has extended its courthouse closure through Friday 9/6, now scheduled to reopen on Monday, 9/9," the AOC @GACourts tweeted Thursday.

As the hurricane slowly approached, the Georgia coast east of Interstate 95 was under an evacuation order that went into effect at noon on Monday. The Georgia DOT reversed the eastbound traffic lanes on I-16, so all lanes flowed west, at 8 a.m. on Tuesday to help people leave the coast. Most law firms were closed at least through Wednesday and Thursday as well. Gov. Brian Kemp began lifting the evacuation orders Thursday as the effects of the hurricane battered the coast of the Carolinas.

So far, Bryan, Camden, Glynn and Liberty counties have authorized reentry for residents and visitors, Kemp said Thursday. The Georgia Department of Transportation has begun inspection of roads and bridges in affected counties. Some roads and bridges may remain impassable, even after rescission of the mandatory evacuation order. The F.J. Torras (St. Simons Island), Downing Musgrove (Jekyll Island), and Tybee Island Causeways are cleared for travel. The Sidney Lanier Bridge is also clear for travel. GDOT is inspecting the U.S. 17 Savannah River Bridge.

"I want to thank the countless emergency management officials, law enforcement, first responders, local leaders, and Georgians who worked together to prepare and respond to Hurricane Dorian. As governor, I am incredibly proud of our statewide collaboration and deeply grateful that we experienced no loss of life. Many Georgians still have challenges ahead—power outages, fallen trees, and property damage—in the aftermath of this powerful storm, but I am confident that we will address them and emerge even stronger,"Kemp said. "Now, we must stand together and offer our assistance to the Bahamas and our neighbors, South Carolina and North Carolina," Kemp said.