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March 16, 2020
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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
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DISTRICT OF NEVADA
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IN RE: COURT OPERATIONS UNDER THE
6 EXIGENT CIRCUMSTANCES CREATED
TEMPORARY GENERAL ORDER
7 BY COVID-19 AND RELATED 2020-03
CORONAVIRUS
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10 This General Order is being issued in response to the recent outbreak of the
11 coronavirus disease 2019 (“COVID-19”) in the District of Nevada.1 The Governor of the
12 State of Nevada has declared a public health emergency throughout the state in
13 response to the spread of COVID-19 in Nevada, and various local governments—
14 including Clark County—have declared local emergencies. Moreover, the President of
15 the United States has declared a national emergency. The Court is therefore taking the
16 temporary actions listed below, both in response to these emergency declarations and
17 to do its part in slowing the spread of COVID-19—to lessen COVID-19’s impact on the
18 public and the public health system.
19 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) recommends that
20 communities with local COVID-19 transmission implement community mitigation
21 strategies.2 CDC specifically recommends—in pertinent part—that employers
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1As of the date of entry of this order, the District of Nevada
has been home to 26
23 reported cases of the disease, along with community impacts from statewide school,
business, and sports closures—as well as conference cancellations. Moreover, the
24 numbers of presumptive positive patients continue to increase.
25 2CDC, Implementation of Mitigation Strategies for Communities with Local
COVID-19 Transmission, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-
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1 implement social distancing measures such as increasing physical space between
2 workers, staggering schedules, decreasing meetings, limiting large gatherings, and
3 limiting work-related travel. See id. Nevada state government officials, along with Clark
4 and Washoe County officials, are closely monitoring the COVID-19 outbreak in
5 coordination with other state, local and federal health officials. Thus far, Clark and
6 Washoe Counties have advised individuals to take precautions against contracting the
7 respiratory disease, and have suggested preparations they can take.
8 Given the significant number of identified and projected cases of COVID-19 in
9 this District and nationally, the severity of the risk posed to the public, and to implement
10 the public health recommendations mentioned above, it is hereby ordered that, effective
11 Monday, March 16, 2020:
12 1) All civil and criminal trials, including any associated deadlines, are continued
13 until April 10, 2020 pending further order of the Court;
14 2) All non-case related events scheduled to be held in the District’s courthouses,
15 including the Inn of Court and Project Real, are postponed pending further
16 order of the Court;
17 3) As to criminal matters, due to the Court’s reduced ability to obtain an adequate
18 spectrum of jurors, and the effects of the above public health
19 recommendations—particularly relating to social distancing measures—on
20 the availability of counsel and Court staff, the time period of the continuances
21 implemented by this General Order will be excluded under the Speedy Trial
22 Act, as the Court specifically finds that the ends of justice are best served by
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ncov/downloads/community-mitigation-strategy.pdf (last accessed March 13, 2020). The
24 CDC has since also recommended a blanket prohibition on all gatherings of more than
50 people. See CDC, Get Your Mass Gatherings or Large Community Events Ready,
25 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/large-events/mass-gatherings-
ready-for-covid-19.html (last accessed March 16, 2020).
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1 ordering the continuances, which outweighs the best interests of the public
2 and any defendant’s right to a speedy trial under 18 U.S.C. § 3161(h)(7)(A).
3 This Order does not affect other aspects of the District’s court operations.
4 The Court will vacate or amend this General Order no later than April 10, 2020.
5 Dated this 16th day of March 2020.
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MIRANDA M. DU, CHIEF JUDGE
8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
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