IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF OHIO
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FURTHER ORDER REGARDING
COURT OPERATIONS UNDER THE GENERAL ORDER 21-20
ONGOING EXIGENT CIRCUMSTANCES
CREATED BY COVID-19
In accordance with the recommendation of the Court's Ad Hoc Committee on Gating
Criteria as approved by the Court's Pandemic Executive Team, and as further approved at a
meeting of the District Judges of this District on September 10, 2021, it is hereby ORDERED that
General Order 21-20 is hereby amended as follows:
Amended General Order 21-20 retains the following provision:
(1) All visitors to each of the three Courthouses in the Southern District of Ohio
(including but not limited to jurors or potential jurors, contractors, Naturalization
petitioners, and attorneys) and employees, irrespective of vaccination status, are
required to wear facial coverings (i.e., face masks) to gain admittance to the
Courthouse and must wear said facial coverings in the public common areas of the
Courthouses, including but not limited to elevators, building entrances, and lobbies.
At her or his discretion, a Judicial Officer presiding at any in-Court proceeding may
require facial coverings, including masks, and social distancing, during those
proceedings. Each Judicial Officer of this Court shall also have the discretion to
require facial coverings in her/his respective chambers and courtrooms.
The following provisions are incorporated herein and amend General Order 21-20:
(2) All Court employees and externs will be required to advise Human Resources of
their vaccination status - by a date certain to be communicated to said employees
and externs - by submitting their COVID-19 vaccination status attestation form
(supplied by the Court) to Human Resources, unless an exemption has been granted
by the Chief Judge on medical or religious grounds. This vaccination policy will
also apply to judiciary contractors, including Court Security Officers ("CSOs").
The CSOs will be required to follow local United States Marshals Service policy
for collecting and maintaining the attestation forms and for requesting exemptions
on medical or religious grounds.
(3) Unvaccinated employees, externs, judiciary contractors, including CSOs,
individuals granted exemptions, and individuals who have not disclosed their
vaccination status must wear masks at all times in the Courthouses, and they shall
be responsible for producing twice-weekly negative test results with respect to the
presence of the COVID-19 virus.
(4) Visitors to each of the three Courthouses in the Southern District of Ohio (including
but not limited to jurors or potential jurors, contractors, Naturalization petitioners,
and attorneys) who are not vaccinated or do not provide evidence that they are
vaccinated, must wear facial coverings at all times and in all areas of the
Courthouses, unless exempted by a Judicial Officer.
This Order shall remain in full force and effect until further notice.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
DATED: September 17, 2021
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