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4 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
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IN RE:
9 Plan of Operation in the Absence of GENERAL ORDER 03-13
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Appropriation or Continuing Resolution
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Effective October 11, 2013, the court adopts a Plan of Operation in the Absence of Appropriation or
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Continuing Resolution for the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, as
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reflected by the attachment to this order.
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This Plan shall remain in effect throughout the current fiscal year.
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DATED this 11th day of October, 2013.
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A
HONORABLE MARSHA J. PECHMAN
CHIEF UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
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GENERAL ORDER - 1
United States District Court
Western District of Washington
Plan of Operation in the Absence of Appropriation or Continuing Resolution
The Court adopts the following plan for operating in the absence of an appropriation or
continuing resolution. Essential judicial branch activities will continue. The activities set forth
in this plan are essential, and the employees who perform these duties are deemed to be
performing essential work.
Essential work includes:
(1) activities necessary to support the exercise of the Article III judicial power, i.e., the
resolution of cases in which there is a constitutional or statutory grant of jurisdiction;
(2) emergency activities necessary for the safety of human life and the protection of
property; and
(3) activities otherwise authorized by law, either expressly or by necessary implication,
including:
(a) items guaranteed by the Constitution;
(b) activities funded with no-year appropriations (e.g., information technology
resources, jury system, federal defender program);
(c) entitlement programs (e.g., Judicial Survivors Annuities System, which is partly
funded by judges’ salaries); and
(d) minimal activities needed for an orderly shutdown of other official functions.
This court will continue to:
(1) hear and decide cases without interruption;
(2) timely file and process all filings, motions, orders, emergency applications, and
other litigation documents;
(3) collect and deposit fees and costs into the Treasury;
(4) accept and process new civil and criminal cases;
(5) continue regular administration of the jury system;
(6) produce reports on bail or release, or provide other services required by judges in
the performance of their constitutional duties;
(7) supervise potentially dangerous offenders (i.e., individuals under supervised
release, probation, parole, or pretrial services supervision) and provide needed
treatment services; and
(8) handle new cases or maintain existing cases, as necessary to assist the court in
implementing its orders and judgments.
Judges will continue to work full-time. Each judge’s chambers staff are essential to the
resolution of cases. This includes law clerks, judicial assistants, and pro se attorneys. Probation
and pretrial services officers, and administrative staff who make their work possible, will
continue to supervise individuals under supervised release, probation, parole, or pretrial services
supervision. Clerk’s office staff, previously reduced by budget cuts and sequestration, are
essential to the resolution of cases. Essential employees must report to their assigned duty
stations during their normal working hours.
The Court will advise the following agencies of the level of services required to maintain
continuing operation of the court system and all United States District Court facilities in the
Western District of Washington: United States Marshals Service, United States General Services
Administration, Federal Public Defender’s Office, and United States Attorney’s Office.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
Dated: October 11, 2013
For the Court,
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Marsha J. Pechman
United States Chief District Judge
