UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF OHIO
In Re: ,;_:~. UlS 1i-J.; i l;ijU1H
t-;:~UTHERN DiST. OHIO
ORDER RESCINDING ORDER REGARDING AMENDED t:.AST. DIV. COLUMBUS
SERVICE OF PROCESS BY CERTIFIED GENERAL ORDER NO. 22-20 1
MAIL DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
The Court issued General Order 20-39 as one in a series of General Orders, in response to
the spread of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in the Southern District of Ohio and
elsewhere. Given the nature of transmission of COVID-19, the United States Postal Service
("USPS") had implemented temporary modifications to its mail handling procedures for mail
that requires customer signatures, including certified mail. As COVID-19 cases resulting in
serious illness and death have decreased throughout the country, these modifications under
which USPS mail carriers did not obtain a signature of the certified mail recipient, but instead
made certain notations reflecting confirmation of delivery, are no longer in effect.
Accordingly, it is hereby ORDERED that service of process may no longer be evidenced
by delivery of certified mail or express mail by the USPS by notations of "COVID," "COVID-
19" on the receipt or confirmation of delivery. Service in this manner shall no longer be deemed
perfected. As stated in Local Rule 4.2, however, "the Court prefers parties to use the methods of
service provided in Fed. R. Civ. P. 4 before using certified mail service under Ohio law." S.D.
Ohio Civ. R. 4.2.
It is hereby ORDERED that General Order 20-39 is RESCINDED.
1
General Order 22-20, filed on August 22, 2022, inadvertently referenced General Order 22-39;
however, the reference should have been to General Order 20-39 .
IT IS SO ORDERED.
DATED: August 24, 2022
