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July 10, 2020
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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
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DISTRICT OF NEVADA
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IN RE: ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT OF
6 FACE COVERINGS FOR ACCESS TO THE
AMENDED TEMPORARY GENERAL
7 COURTHOUSES DUE TO ORDER 2020-08
CIRCUMSTANCES CREATED BY COVID-
8 19 AND RELATED CORONAVIRUS
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10 In response to the recent outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (“COVID-19”)
11 in the District of Nevada, the Court has issued a series of general orders changing how
12 the Court operates to do its part in containing the spread of COVID-19. See Temporary
13 General Orders 2020-02, 2020-03, 2020-04, 2020-05.1 As the Court incrementally
14 resumes in-person hearings in a phased approach based on recommended health
15 guidelines, it is necessary to adopt additional protocols for access to the United States
16 District Court for the District of Nevada courthouses in Reno and Las Vegas (“the
17 Courthouses”).
18 General Order 2020-02 prohibits individuals who exhibit COVID-19 symptoms, or
19 have had contact with COVID-19-positive individuals, from entering the Courthouses.
20 That Order remains in effect. This Order imposes additional requirements in light of
21 recommendations from public health officials that we all wear face coverings to minimize
22 the spread of COVID-19 where social-distancing measures are difficult to implement,2
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1Available at https://www.nvd.uscourts.gov/court-information/rules-and-
24 orders/general-orders/.
25 2“To reduce the spread of COVID-19, CDC recommends that people wear cloth
face coverings in public settings when around people outside of their household,
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1 and in light of the State of Nevada Governor’s directive that face coverings be worn in
2 public spaces.3 The Court therefore orders the following protocols for use of face
3 coverings.
4 1) During court proceedings, including Grand Jury proceedings, everyone must
5 wear a face covering unless the presiding judge orders otherwise.
6 2) All employees of the United States District Court for the District of Nevada
7 must wear face coverings during security screening and while they are in
8 public areas of the Courthouses. Employees who have contact with members
9 of the public outside of court proceedings as described above must wear face
10 coverings during their interactions. The Court will provide face coverings for
11 employees.
12 3) Members of the public and employees of other tenants in the Courthouses
13 must wear face coverings during security screening and while they are in
14 public areas of the Courthouses.
15 4) The face covering requirements established herein do not apply to individuals
16 who cannot wear a face covering due to a medical condition.
17 Anyone who attempts to enter a Courthouse in violation of this Order will be
18 denied entry. Upon entry, anyone who refuses to wear a face covering in violation of this
19 Order may be removed from the Courthouse. If an individual who fails to comply with
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especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.” Centers for
22 Disease Control and Prevention, About Cloth Face Coverings,
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/about-face-
23 coverings.html (last accessed July 8, 2020) (emphasis in original).
24 3The Governor of the State of Nevada has mandated “[i]ndividuals not exempt . . .
25 cover their nose and mouth with a mask or face covering when in a public space.”
http://gov.nv.gov/News/Emergency Orders/2020/2020-06-24 -COVID-
19 Declaration of Emergency Directive 024 (Attachments)/ (last accessed July 8,
26 2020).
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1 this Order is involved in a court proceeding or in a Grand Jury proceeding, the matter
2 will be referred to the presiding judge to determine the appropriate action.
3 This Order may not be used as an excuse to avoid scheduled court appearances
4 or meetings with United States Probation or United States Pretrial Services Officers.
5 If you have a scheduled appointment or you are otherwise required to appear for
6 a proceeding at any of the Courthouses, and you are unable to appear because of your
7 failure to comply with this Order, you may be able to appear by telephone or video
8 conference. Therefore, you should proceed as follows:
9 • If you are represented by an attorney, please contact your attorney;
10 • If you are an attorney or a pro se litigant and you are scheduled to appear in court
11 before a judge, please contact that judge’s courtroom administrator (see the Court
12 website at https://www.nvd.uscourts.gov/court-information/judges/ and the
13 information listed under the name of the pertinent judge);
14 • If you are a juror or prospective juror (including a grand juror), please contact the
15 Jury Department: for Las Vegas, please call (702) 464-5600, option #0.; for Reno,
16 please call (775) 686-5847, option #0;
17 • If you are on pretrial release, supervised release, or probation, please contact your
18 supervising officer;
19 • For all other matters or questions related to the U.S. District Court, please contact
20 the Clerk’s Office in Las Vegas at (702) 464-5400, the Clerk’s Office in Reno at
21 (775) 686-5800; or the Help Desk at
[email protected];
22 • If you are visiting other tenants located within the Courthouses, please contact
23 them based on the information you have, or refer to their websites.
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1 This Order is effective until further notice.
2 DATED THIS 10th day of July 2020.
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5 MIRANDA M. DU, CHIEF JUDGE
6 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR
THE DISTRICT OF NEVADA
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