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News & Announcements: 2020-06

Check this page, or the News and Announcements box on the homepage, for the latest official news and announcements released by the court. You can also access archived news and announcements from this page.

June 26, 2020
Check out PACER’s newly redesigned, informational and resource website, https://pacer.uscourts.gov. The website provides information about how the public can access federal court records electronically and have easy access to PACER and PACER-related applications. New features include: • Mobile friendly design; • New tool to search for court-specific information; • Interactive format to search frequently asked questions; • Search engine has been optimized to improve content findability; • JSON and XML feeds of court-specific information; and • New accessibility tools. In addition, two PACER applications—Manage My Account and Registration—have new designs to create an improved user experience. Email any feedback to the PACER Service Center.
June 26, 2020
The Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana has issued COVID-19 General Order No. 20-8, extending COVID-19 General Order No. 20-4 for an additional ninety days or until September 24, 2020.  View this PDF.
June 26, 2020
The Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana has issued COVID-19 General Order No. 20-9. The order amends COVID-19 General Order 20-6 to extend certain deadlines addressed therein as follows:   1) All civil and criminal jury trials are suspended until October 5, 2020 and will be reset by each presiding judge. Those continuances do not continue any pending deadlines other than the trial dates. Attorneys should contact the presiding judges in their continued cases if they seek to modify such other deadlines.    2) With regard to criminal matters, the time period of the postponements implemented by this administrative order will be excluded under the Speedy Trial Act, as the Court specifically finds that the ends of justice served by ordering the postponements outweigh the best interest of the public and any defendant's right to a speedy trial, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3161(h)(7)(A).  View this PDF.
June 18, 2020
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana recently conducted a survey of all attorneys licensed to practice before the court entitled, “COVID-19 & Jury Reconstitution Issues Survey.”  Please select this link to review the survey results.   Please be aware that the decision to resume in-person hearings and jury trials must take into consideration a number of factors, especially health and safety concerns, and cannot be decided simply by the results of a survey.  Nevertheless, the survey reflects the thoughts of attorneys practicing in this district, which the court considers and respects.