UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
COVID-19
GENERAL ORDER NO. 20-3
March 20, 2020
This order is being issued in response to the recent outbreak of the Coronavirus Disease
(COVID-19) in the United States, the State of Louisiana and specifically New Orleans, Louisiana.
The World Health Organization has declared that COVID-19 qualifies as a global pandemic,
having spread across more than 120 countries with more than 10,000 confirmed cases in the
United States and 537 (as of this order) in Louisiana. Most of the confirmed cases in Louisiana
have occurred in New Orleans, where the Eastern District of Louisiana federal courthouse is
located.
The President of the United States, Governor of the State of Louisiana, and the Mayor
of the City of New Orleans have declared a public health emergency throughout the country,
State and the City, respectively in response to the spread of COVID-19; and
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other public health
authorities have recommended social distancing as a means of limiting further community
spread of COVID-19;
Accordingly, to combat the spread of the disease, given the severity of risks posed to
the public, Court staff, and other Court agencies, and considering the public health
recommendations from the CDC, the Eastern District of Louisiana hereby issues the
following order:
Effective March 23, 2020, and subject to the conditions set forth in this Court’s General
Order 20-2(5), criminal proceedings before the Magistrate Judges of the United States
District Court for Eastern District of Louisiana will be adjusted as follows: Court will
be convened on Mondays and Fridays. To the extent feasible, these twice-weekly court
sessions will be conducted by videoconference, as long as the defendant consents to that
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procedure. The Court will address requests to deviate from this schedule on a case-by-
case basis as needed.
The public is encouraged to use online Court resources or contact the Court by telephone.
http://www.laed.uscourts.gov.
This order will remain in effect until further order of the Court.
IT IS ORDERED.
20th day of March, 2020.
New Orleans, Louisiana, this _______
NANNETTE JOLIVETTE BROWN
CHIEF JUDGE
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
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