UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
GENERAL ORDER NO. 21-14
September 10, 2021
On August 26, 2021, Governor John Bel Edwards issued Proclamation 165 JBE 2021
declaring a state of emergency as a result of then Tropical Storm Ida. On August 29, 2021,
Hurricane Ida made landfall in Louisiana as a Category 4 hurricane. The Eastern District of
Louisiana is comprised of thirteen parishes, nearly all of which suffered devastating damage
resulting from Hurricane Ida’s Category 4 winds, heavy rain, storm surge, and flooding due to
rain, overflowing rivers, lakes, bayous, and canals. Widespread and persistent outages of power,
water, sewage, cell phone, and internet services continue to plague the areas comprising the
Eastern District. Additionally, gasoline is in short supply for travel into, out of, and throughout the
district. Members of the bar have informed the Court that they are currently unable to resume
normal office operations due to road closures, damage due to high winds and flooding, and
extensive loss of power and communication services.
The catastrophic damage caused by Hurricane Ida has reduced the Court’s ability to obtain
an adequate spectrum of jurors and hinders the ability of counsel and Court staff to be safely
present in the courtroom. Additionally, a continuance of jury trials is necessary 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, and considering the recent surge of COVID-19 cases within
the thirteen parishes encompassing the Eastern District of Louisiana caused by the Delta variant.
Accordingly, the undersigned as Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern
District of Louisiana hereby orders as follows:
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1. All civil and criminal jury trials are suspended until November 1, 2021 and will be reset
by each presiding judge. Attorneys should contact the presiding judges regarding any
other deadlines that might be affected by this order.
2. With regard to criminal trials, this order extends criminal trial deadlines previously
addressed in General Orders 21-11 and 21-12. Due to the Court’s reduced ability to
safely obtain an adequate spectrum of jurors and the effect of Hurricane Ida and the
recent surge of COVID-19 cases on the ability of counsel and Court staff to be safely
present in the courtroom, the time period of the postponements implemented by this
general order will be excluded under the Speedy Trial Act, as the Court specifically
finds that the ends of justice served by ordering the postponements outweigh the best
interest of the public and any defendant’s right to a speedy trial, pursuant to 18 U.S.C.
§ 3161(h)(7)(A).
IT IS ORDERED.
10th day of September, 2021.
New Orleans, Louisiana, this ______
NANNETTE JOLIVETTE BROWN
CHIEF JUDGE
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
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