UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT
INRE: GENERAL ORDER
COURT OPERATIONS UNDER THE EXIGENT
CIRCUMSTANCES CREATED BY COVID-19 APRIL 7, 2020
GENERAL ORDER RE VIDEO HEARINGS FOR ARRESTED OR DETAINED
CRIMINAL DEFENDANTS AT FEDERAL COU~THOUSES
WHEREAS, the President of the United States has declared a national emergency, and the
Governor of the State of Connecticut has declared a public health emergency throughout the State;
WHEREAS, the U.S . Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised people to
take precautions in light of the COVID-19 virus (coronavirus) outbreak and has noted that the
best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to the virus through among other means,
social distancing;
WHEREAS the Court continues to review its operations to identify measures that will help
slow the spread of the virus by minimizing contact between persons, while at the same time
preserving its core mission of serving the public through the fair and impartial administration of
justice; and
WHEREAS pursuant to the authorization of the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic
Security Act {CARES Act), the Court intends to conduct video hearings in criminal cases,
including video hearing that will take place involving arrested or detained criminal defendants
who have been brought to one of the federal courthouses in Connecticut for pw-poses of a video
hearing:
IT IS- HEREBY ORDERED THAT:
1. ·the U. . Marshal Service and any participating law enforcem nt agency shall produce
upon request of the Cou1t such ruTested or detained defendants to a video-equipped
location in a courthouse s secured auxiliary lock-up area;
2. the arrestee or detainee shall be entitled to consult in confidence by video with counsel
without overheru·ing by the U.S. Marshal s S rvice or any law enforcement agency·
3. ubject to the exception in Paragraph 5 below, the arr stee or detainee hall be seated
in an area ofth lock-up location (whether in ide one of the open cell or outside a cell)
that allow the arre tee or detainee to clearly iew the ideo creen without ob truction
b th lattice bars of a lock-up cell·
4. an arre te or detainee for purpo e of video consultation with counsel and ubsequent
ideo court hearing may be subject to hand and I g re traints within the di cretion of
the U.. Mar hals ervice or the participating law enforcement agency· and
5. if th .. Marshals er ice or participating law enforcement agenc determines that
a particular arre tee or detainee ma pose a risk to ecurity if not confined in a locked
holding cell, then the arre tee or detainee may b ecured in a locked holding cell for
purpo es of video consultation with couns I and sub equent ideo court hearing.
0 ORDERED:
s/Stefan R. Underhill
Dated : ,I/fr', I 0CtJZD
nderhill
Chief United tates Di trict Judge
