UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
GENERAL ORDER NO. 21-17
December 20, 2021
To combat the spread of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), given the severity of risks
posed to the public, Court staff, and other Court agencies, the undersigned Chief Judge issued
General Order No. 21-15, effective on November 1, 2021, ordering all individuals seeking entry
to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana to provide proof of COVID-
19 vaccination or a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours before entry. The undersigned Chief
Judge further ordered that the Court would provide a rapid test to be self-administered prior to
entry to those needing to enter the courthouse who did not have the required credentials. General
Order No. 21-15 was posted on the Court’s public website and disseminated to all attorneys
registered with the Court’s CM-ECF electronic case filing system.
Approximately six weeks have elapsed since the proof of vaccination or negative PCR test
taken within 72 hours before entry requirement was implemented. During this time, jury trials and
in-person proceedings have been conducted in this Courthouse. There have been instances when
attorneys practicing before the Court, their employees, and witnesses subpoenaed or otherwise
instructed by attorneys to appear at the courthouse have entered without the proper credentials
outlined above and have necessitated that the Court supply, at Court expense, a rapid test to be
self-administered prior to entry.
Attorneys admitted to and allowed to practice before the Court are Officers of the Court
and, as such, are required to comply with the Court’s orders. Attorneys practicing before the Court
also have a duty to ensure that their employees as well as witnesses they have subpoenaed or
otherwise instructed to appear comply with Court’s Orders.
1
Accordingly, General Order No. 21-15, attached as Exhibit A, is hereby AMENDED
effective December 20, 2021, as follows:
All individuals seeking entry to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of
Louisiana (including District Judges’ chambers and courtrooms, Magistrate Judges’ chambers and
courtrooms, the Clerk’s Office, the U.S. Probation Office, and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court) must
provide proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test within 72 hours before entry. If anyone
needing to enter the courthouse does not have the required credentials, the Court will provide a
rapid test to be self-administered prior to entry subject to the following paragraph.
Attorneys admitted to practice before this Court, as well as their employees and witnesses,
must provide proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours before entry.
Attorneys who fail to comply with this Order and/or fail to ensure that their employees and
witnesses comply with this Order may be sanctioned by the Court, including, but not limited to,
being ordered to reimburse the Court the cost of the rapid test plus an administrative fee, totaling
$200.00 per instance.
The mask mandate and COVID-19 screening requirements, applicable to the entire Hale
Boggs Federal Building, remain in effect for the United States District Court.1
IT IS ORDERED.
20thday of December, 2021.
New Orleans, Louisiana, this ____
FOR THE EN BANC COURT:
________________________________________
NANNETTE JOLIVETTE BROWN
CHIEF JUDGE
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
1
See COVID-19 General Order 21-10 dated July 29, 2021 and Amended COVID-19 General Order 20-01
dated September 27, 2020.
2
EXHIBIT A
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
GENERAL ORDER NO. 21-15
October 22, 2021
To combat the spread of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), given the severity of risks
posed to the public, Court staff, and other Court agencies, the undersigned as Chief Judge of the
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana hereby orders as follows, effective
November 1, 2021:
All individuals seeking entry to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of
Louisiana (including District Judges’ chambers and courtrooms, Magistrate Judges’ chambers and
courtrooms, the Clerk’s Office, the U.S. Probation Office, and the Bankruptcy Court) must provide
proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours before entry. If anyone needing
to enter the courthouse does not have the required credentials, the Court will provide a rapid test
to be self-administered prior to entry. The mask mandate and COVID-19 screening requirements,
applicable to the entire Hale Boggs Federal Building, remain in effect for the United States District
Court.1
IT IS ORDERED.
22nd day of October, 2021.
New Orleans, Louisiana, this ______
NANNETTE JOLIVETTE BROWN
CHIEF JUDGE
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
1
See COVID-19 General Order 21-10 dated July 29, 2021 and Amended COVID-19 General Order 20-01 dated
September 27, 2020.
1
