Lingering asbestos problems have led officials to close the north wing of the Monterey County Courthouse until further notice, officials said.

All court services in that wing have been relocated to nearby offices in the courthouse east wing, modular buildings and the new county administration building for the week of Sept. 11, an official said.

Courts will be open for business and operating today.

An information board with court schedules and locations will be placed in the courtyard in front of the north wing, and court staff will be on hand to assist in redirecting people to their appointments.

Those with court business or appearances this morning are encouraged to arrive early in order find out if their case has been relocated.

"We appreciate the courts working with us to move them to temporary quarters on short notice," said Lew Bauman, Monterey County administrative officer, in a prepared statement. "We want to assure the public that despite the closure, the county's goal is to keep the local justice system operating."

Monterey County officials closed the courthouse north wing on Saturday after several spot inspections of areas between ceiling tiles and the ceiling found evidence that old asbestos insulation sealed in those areas was degrading.

The discovery means that more extensive asbestos abatement must be done in the north wing, which cannot be done while the building is occupied.

"This is a proactive, preventative move to safeguard the public and employees," county Public Works Director Ron Lundquist said in a prepared statement. "We found this problem before it became a hazard. There has been constant air monitoring in the north wing for months without incident."

The closure of the north wing has stepped up the schedule for renovating the smaller west wing of the courthouse complex. Beginning Tuesday, round-the-clock work crews will work in the west wing to finish renovations planned for that building so that the courts can move their operations there until the north wing reopens.

"Finishing the west wing quickly means the courts will be scattered in different locations for only a short time," said Lundquist, who added that he hopes court services will reopen in the west wing on Sept. 19.