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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
5 WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
6 In Re:
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NEW MODIFIED COURT GENERAL ORDER NO. 04-21
8 OPERATIONS UNDER THE EXIGENT
CIRCUMSTANCES CREATED BY
9 COVID-19 AND RELATED
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CORONAVIRUS
11 This General Order is being issued in response to the continuing outbreak of Coronavirus
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Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in this District. On March 17 and 25, 2020, the Court entered General
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Orders 02-20 and 03-20 addressing, among other things, the closing of the Seattle and Tacoma
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Courthouses for at least 30 days and the procedures for conducting civil and criminal matters
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16 remotely. The Court incorporates here its prior findings regarding COVID-19 and the emergency
17 declarations and public health guidelines as set forth in those prior General Orders.
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On April 13, 2020, the Court continued the procedures established by General Orders 02-
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20 and 03-20 for 30 days. Further continuances were issued on May 13, July 30, September 4,
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October 2, and December 30, 2020.
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22 In the last two months, the daily number of positive cases, hospitalizations, and deaths
23 have significantly decreased in the Western District of Washington. A significant percentage of
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the public in this district has been vaccinated against the novel coronavirus. The vaccine has
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been available to those most vulnerable to serious complications from the virus and is now
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available to the Court’s staff. The distribution of vaccines to other members of the general public
28 is anticipated to proceed in phases through the next two months. At this time, it appears likely
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that the majority of individuals with business in the Courthouses will have access to the vaccine
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2 by June. Until the majority of the public has received the vaccine and been fully vaccinated,
3 limiting the size and frequency of gatherings remain critical to preventing serious injury and
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death from COVID-19.
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Accordingly, the Court ORDERS that the procedures established by General Order 15-
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20 will be continued until June 30, 2021, except as stated below.
8 All District Court civil and criminal in-person hearings and trials in these Courthouses
9 scheduled to occur before June 30, 2021, are continued pending a future general order from this
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Court, unless the individual judge in each case has issued or will issue an order consistent with
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the procedures set forth in General Order 15-20. Civil bench and jury trials conducted remotely
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13 over Zoom.gov are not continued and may proceed.
14 The number of criminal proceedings that can occur in the Courthouses will begin to
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increase starting May 3, 2021. The Court will be strictly limiting the number of people that can
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physically attend these proceedings.
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In-person criminal trials will be scheduled starting May 17, 2021. These trials will
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19 proceed one-at-a-time in each Courthouse; there will not be simultaneous in-person trials.
20 Courthouse lobbies will remain open for the public to use drop boxes to deposit
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documents for filing and payments for the District Clerk’s Office. Individuals may enter the
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courthouses to conduct official business provided they have scheduled appointments or
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notifications to do so. Members of the public who wish to view a criminal proceeding or trial
25 will be directed to the Court’s website to access those proceedings.
26 The Court further ORDERS the continuation of the following procedural changes:
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1. In order to limit the physical exchange of documents, signatures on documents in civil
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2 and criminal proceedings conducted remotely will not be required. Instead, the Court
3 will make a record that the document has been reviewed and authorized by the
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signatory and is fully binding. Such documents include, but are not limited to:
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a. Financial affidavits (28 U.S.C. 1746);
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b. CJA Appointments;
8 c. Consents to proceed before a magistrate judge;
9 d. Waiver of in-person hearings in criminal matters;
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e. Appearance bonds/Orders of release;
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f. Plea agreements;
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13 g. Jury verdicts; and
14 h. Judgments.
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2. Local Civil Rule 32 continues to include among the definitions of “Unavailable
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Witness” in FRCP 32(4)(C) the following: “concern about personal health risks from
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exposure to the COVID-19 virus.”
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19 Other General Orders addressing particular COVID-19 issues have not expired and need
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Dated this 19th day of March, 2021.
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A
RICARDO S. MARTINEZ
CHIEF UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
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