UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
WESTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGIAN
In re: IMPLEMENTING SECTION 15000(b)(1) Administrative Order
OF THE CARES ACT No. 20-MS-030
1. On Friday, March 27, 2020, Congress passed and the President signed the Coronavirus Aid,
Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”). Section 15000(b)(1) of the CARES Act
authorizes use of video conferencing or telephone conferencing for certain criminal pre-trial
hearings during the Covid-19 emergency declared by the President. The use of such means
requires predicate findings by the President and the Judicial Conference of the United States;
must be reviewed and re-authorized every 90 days; may not last beyond the declared
emergency; and may be used only if the defendant consents after consultation with counsel.
2. The President and the Judicial Conference of the United States have made the required
predicate findings. In particular, the President has declared a Covid-19 emergency under the
National Emergencies Act, and the Judicial Conference has determined that this emergency
will materially affect the functioning of the Federal courts generally.
3. Now therefore, under the authority of Section 15000(b)(1) of the CARES Act, in my capacity
as Chief District Judge of the Western District of Michigan, I authorize effective immediately
the use of video teleconferencing, or telephone conferencing if video teleconference is not
reasonably available, for the following criminal pre-trial events only, and only with the
defendant’s consent after consultation with counsel, and for no longer than authorized by the
Act:
(A) Detention hearings under section 3142 of title 18, United States Code.
(B) Initial appearances under Rule 5 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure.
(C) Preliminary hearings under Rule 5.1 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure.
(D) Waivers of indictment under Rule 7(b) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure.
(E) Arraignments under Rule 10 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure.
(F) Probation and supervised release revocation proceedings under Rule 32.1 of the Federal
Rules of Criminal Procedure.
(G) Pretrial release revocation proceedings under section 3148 of title 18, United States
Code.
(H) Appearances under Rule 40 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure.
(I) Misdemeanor pleas and sentencings as described in Rule 43(b)(2) of the Federal Rules of
Criminal Procedure.
(J) Proceedings under Chapter 403 of title 18, United States Code (commonly known as the
“Federal Juvenile Delinquency Act”), except for contested transfer hearings and juvenile
delinquency adjudication or trial proceedings.
4. Nothing in this Administrative Order requires any Judicial Officer in the District to use video
or audio telephone conferencing capability for these events. Each Judicial Officer will decide
whether to do so, or not, in any given case for any particular proceeding, subject in all such
matters to the limits of the CARES Act, this Administrative Order and other applicable court
rules and law.
5. Nothing in this Administrative Order is intended to limit the authority any judicial officer had
before enactment of the CARES Act to conduct hearings by videoconference consistent with
all applicable court rules and law. In particular, a judicial officer may continue in his or her
discretion to conduct a Rule 5 initial appearances by videoconference with a defendant’s
consent under Rule 5(f) even before appointment or appearance of counsel.
Dated: April 10, 2020
ROBERT J. JONKER
CHIEF UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
