FILED
March 16, 2022
At: 8:50 a.m.
William T. Walsh
Clerk
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF NEW JERSEY
IN RE: UPDATED COVID-19 PROTOCOLS :
Amendment of Standing Order 2020-14, Updated :
Amended Standing Order 2021-04, and Standing : STANDING ORDER 2022-01
Order 2021-08; Vacation of Standing Orders :
2020-13, 2020-15, and 2020-16 :
WHEREAS, in response to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, the National
Emergency and the New Jersey State of Emergency, both initially declared in March 2020,
remain in effect;
WHEREAS, however, the public health emergency, previously declared in New Jersey,
ended on March 7, 2022, at which time, the mask requirement inside schools was lifted by the
Governor of New Jersey;
WHEREAS, the mask mandate for New Jersey state employees and visitors to state
offices also ended, on March 14, 2022, while, however, mask mandates remain in place in
certain settings, such as healthcare and correctional facilities run by the state and federal
governments;
WHEREAS, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently
updated its guidance regarding the use of face coverings and social distancing by persons
occupying indoor spaces, including public buildings;
WHEREAS, on February 25, 2022, the CDC announced a new tool, “COVID-19
Community Levels,” that assigns each county a “low,” “medium” or “high” category, based
upon the COVID-19 transmissibility levels within each community;
WHEREAS, in applying this tool, the CDC recommends that all individuals wear masks
indoors in public, regardless of vaccination status or individual risk, when the COVID-19
Community Level is “high,” and that mask wearing be optional and informed by personal level
of risk when the Community Level is “medium” or “low,” except that, regardless of COVID-19
Community Level, the CDC advises that persons who have symptoms, or have tested positive
for COVID-19, or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, should wear a mask;
WHEREAS, regarding social distancing, indoors in public, the CDC currently
recommends that those who are not up to date on COVID-19 vaccines stay at least 6 feet away
from other people, especially those who are at higher risk of getting very sick with COVID-19;
WHEREAS, according to current data published by the CDC, all 21 counties within the
State of New Jersey and this District are currently experiencing a “low” Community Level;
WHEREAS, this Court continues to take reasonable and prudent actions to protect
Court employees and the public from COVID-19, while preserving its core mission of serving
the public through the fair and impartial administration of justice;
NOW, THEREFORE, based upon all of the foregoing, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED,
effectively immediately, that:
1. Except as otherwise provided herein, the wearing of face coverings or masks is now
optional, and is no longer required, of persons seeking entry to or occupying the public areas
of Court facilities within the District of New Jersey, i.e., employees and visitors, and further,
social distancing is no long required of such persons because employees are fully vaccinated
and boosted, and visitors are allowed entry to Court facilities only upon proof of full vaccination
or a negative COVID-19 test result, pursuant to Standing Order 2021-08 (“In Re: COVID-19
Vaccination and Testing”) (which is amended herein, as provided below).
2. Although masks are not required, all persons are permitted and encouraged to wear a face
covering or a mask if they so choose. There are many reasons why a person might need or want
to wear a mask, and all are asked to respect others’ health decisions.
3. Notwithstanding the provisions of Paragraph 1 above, the wearing of face coverings
or masks by prospective jurors will continue to be required in the courtroom, during the jury
selection process of all civil and criminal jury trials in this District.
4. Members of a sitting, fully vaccinated jury, which may be requested by consenting
parties in a civil jury trial, pursuant to Standing Order 2021-08, are not required to wear masks.
However, notwithstanding the provisions of Paragraph 1 above, 3 feet social distancing will be
maintained between jurors seated in this Court’s jury boxes, whether masked or not, during civil
and criminal jury trials conducted in this District.
5. Notwithstanding the provisions of Paragraph 1 above, a presiding judicial officer may,
for any reason, direct that appropriate face coverings or masks be worn, during in-Court
proceedings before that Judge, by any or all persons, including but not limited to, seated jurors
in civil and criminal trials in this District, regardless of vaccination status.
6. In accordance with the above, Standing Order 2020-13 (“In Re: Use of Face
Coverings/Masks Due to COVID-19”) is hereby vacated, and further, Standing Order 2020-14
(“In Re: COVID-19 Protocol for Entrants to All DNJ Courthouses”) is amended such that face
coverings/masks and social distancing are mandated only as provided in this Standing Order.
7. Temperature screening of entrants to Court facilities is no longer required and therefore,
Standing Orders 2020-15 (“In Re: COVID-19 Temperature Screening Pilot at the Trenton
Courthouse”) and 2020-16 (“In Re: Temperature Screening at All District of New Jersey
Courthouses”) are hereby vacated. Optional temperature screening will still be available
at the entrances to Court facilities.
8. In accordance with the above, Standing Order 2021-08 (“In Re: COVID-19 Vaccination
and Testing”) is amended such that face coverings/masks and social distancing are mandated
only as provided in this Standing Order, and the temperature screening requirement therein is
vacated.
9. Standing Order 2021-08 is further amended to provide that visitors seeking entry to Court
facilities by way of the testing option may present proof of a negative result from a rapid test,
rather than a PCR test, along with proof of identification.
10. As provided in Standing Order 2021-08, criminal defendants will continue to be required
to a have a negative COVID-19 test result before being transported from detention facilities to
this District’s courthouses.
11. Updated Amended Standing Order 2021-04 (“In Re: Court Operations under the Exigent
Circumstances Created by COVID-19”) is hereby amended, only to the extent that holding cells
for criminal detainees in this District are no longer limited in capacity to one detainee per cell.
12. This Standing Order does not affect the Court’s other COVID-19 protocols, set forth
in prior Orders and not amended or vacated herein, which remain in full force and effect.
13. The United States Marshal, his Deputies, and the Court Security Officers shall enforce
this Order.
14. This Standing Order shall remain in effect until amended or vacated. This District’s
Court Security Committee will continue to monitor COVID-19 conditions, including the
COVID-19 Community Levels for the counties in this District, and will amend this Order
as circumstances require.
March 16, 2022 ____________________
Hon. Freda L. Wolfson
U.S. Chief District Judge
District of New Jersey
