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News & Announcements: 2020-03

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.

March 30, 2020
In response to the recent outbreak of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in the United States, the Congress has passed and the President has signed into law the CARES Act, H.R. 748, which authorizes the use of video and telephone conferencing, under certain circumstances and with the consent of the defendant, for a number of criminal proceedings during the COVID-19 emergency. The Judicial Conference of the United States has adopted a finding that emergency conditions exist that materially affect the functioning of the federal court generally. To facilitate the use of the emergency procedures authorized by the CARES Act, the Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana has issued COVID-19 General Order No. 20-4 for the Court.  The public is encouraged to visit the Courts website, www.laed.uscourts.gov, often for additional information and for updates.  View this PDF.
March 20, 2020
Effective March 23, 2020, and subject to the conditions set forth in this Court's General Order 20-2(5), criminal proceedings before the Magistrate Judges of the United States District Court for Eastern District of Louisiana will be adjusted as follows: Court will be convened on Mondays and Fridays. To the extent feasible, these twice-weekly court sessions will be conducted by video conference, as long as the defendant consents to that procedure. The Court will address requests to deviate from this schedule on a case-by-case basis as needed. Please see the Eastern District of Louisiana website, www.laed.uscourts.gov, for additional information and for updates. View this PDF.
March 20, 2020
Due to concerns regarding COVID-19, until May 1, 2020, the Clerk’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana will not accept sealed documents on paper for filing. Sealed documents should be submitted by email to the Court at sealeddocs@laed.uscourts.gov.  Please use the encrypted “Send Securely” option  in your email if available. Documents should be in PDF format and include an electronic signature of the attorney filing it. Non-sealed pleadings should not be submitted to this email box.  Non-sealed pleadings must be submitted for filing through CM/ECF, the court’s electronic filing system.   Until May 1, 2020, unrepresented parties, including individuals who are incarcerated, may fax pleadings to 504-310-8159 or email pleadings to prosedocs@laed.uscourts.gov.  If additional information is required, the Clerk’s Office will contact the filer by email.   
March 17, 2020
Hale Boggs Building, Including Intake, Pro Se, and Public Terminal Areas, Closed to the General Public At the direction of the Chief Judge, until further notice, due to public health concerns relating to COVID-19, the Hale Boggs Federal Building located at 500 Poydras Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, which houses the United States District Court as well as the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, is closed to the general public. The Intake and Pro Se areas of the United States District Court Clerk’s Office and the public terminal area adjacent to the United States District Court’s Clerk’s Office and the elevator tower also remain closed to the public.   No cash will be accepted at this time.  For questions, the Intake Unit may be reached at 504-589-7674 and the Pro Se Unit may be reached at 504-589-7751. Mail U.S. District Court documents or payments to: The Clerk’s Office, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana, 500 Poydras Street, New Orleans, LA, 70130.  Unrepresented persons may also send filings electronically to prosedocs@laed.uscourts.gov  or by facsimile to (504)  310-8159.  Additional information and updates will be available via the Eastern District of Louisiana’s website, www.laed.uscourts.gov.  
March 16, 2020
Effective immediately: In response to the recent outbreak of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), to combat the spread of the disease, given the severity of risks posed to the public, Court staff, and other Court agencies, and considering the public health recommendations from the CDC, the Eastern District of Louisiana issued COVID-19 General Order No. 20-2. The order    (1) continues all civil and criminal bench and jury trials until May 1, 2020, to a date to be reset by each presiding judge, but does not continue any other pending deadlines;    (2) continues all civil and criminal in-person hearings, proceedings, and conferences until May 1, 2020, to be reset by each presiding judge;    (3) suspends all grand jury proceedings until May 1, 2020;    (4) issues findings pursuant to the Speedy Trial Act;    (5) indicates that criminal matters before magistrate judges will continue in the ordinary course but may be held by video conferencing if available;    (6) cancels naturalization ceremonies, CLE programs, and all events in the courthouse that are not case-specific until May 1, 2020, and    (7) requires that, beginning March 18, 2020, all attorney admissions be handled by motion and order.  Please see the Eastern District of Louisiana website, www.laed.uscourts.gov, for additional information and for updates. View this PDF.
March 12, 2020
Effective immediately: In order to limit the spread of the coronavirus and out of deep concern for our employees, attorneys and their staff who frequent our building,  judges and the community at large, the Eastern District of Louisiana has suspended all non-case related public gatherings and events in the United States District Court House until further notice.   Please check the Eastern District of Louisiana website, www.laed.uscourts.gov, for regular updates.
March 11, 2020
The United States District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana, continues to monitor the most current statements from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as all communications disseminated by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AO), regarding the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).  The Court is following recommended guidelines from public health officials and preparedness guidance from the AO.  Currently, there has been no adjustment in court operations, except as listed below: Please note that if you have traveled to China, Italy, Iran, or South Korea within the last 14 days; reside or have had close contact with someone who has traveled in one of the above areas within the last 14 days; have been asked to self-quarantine by any hospital or health agency; or have been diagnosed with, or have had contact with, anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19, you must inform the Court Security Officers (CSOs) upon entering the courthouse and will be restricted from entering the building.  If you are so affected and are an attorney scheduled to appear before the Court in the near future, you must notify the Court so that appropriate safeguard measures can be taken.  You may appear via teleconference or video-conference where the technology is available and with the approval of the presiding Judge.  
March 3, 2020
POSTPONED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS PRECAUTIONS - U.S. District Court-EDLA presents a Women’s History Month event entitled, “Celebrating 100 Years of Women’s Right to Vote,” Wednesday, March 18, 2020, 12:00 pm, Courtroom 501, no Charge, 1-hour CLE credit, lunch provided.
March 2, 2020
On February 18, 2020, the U. S. District Court hosted an African American History Month program entitled After the Middle Passage: The American Slave Trade from 1808 to 1865.  The program focused on the U.S. domestic slave trade and spoke to New Orleans’ role as the largest slave market in antebellum America.  It was presented by historian Erin Greenwald, Vice-President of Content at the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities and Curator of the Historic New Orleans Collection’s Purchased Lives. To complement the presentation, the Historic New Orleans Collection provided its Purchased Lives traveling exhibit.  The impeccably designed exhibit consisted of 5 banners with front and back representations of artwork, documents, artifacts, and other materials unique to the American slave trade.  The program was well-attended by attorneys, state and federal judges, and other members of the legal community.  The court thanks the following agencies and organizations that helped plan the event:  GNO Louis A. Martinet Society, Association for Women Attorneys, Federal Bar Association, New Orleans Bar Association, EDLA Federal Public Defender’s Office, EDLA United States Attorney’s Office, and EDLA United States Probation Office.