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News & Announcements: 2021-01

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.

December 21, 2021
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December 20, 2021
To combat the spread of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), given the severity of risks posed to the public, Court staff, and other Court agencies, the undersigned Chief Judge issued General Order No. 21-15, effective on November 1, 2021. Since the order, there have been instances when attorneys practicing before the Court, their employees, and witnesses subpoenaed or otherwise instructed by attorneys to appear at the courthouse have entered without the proper credentials outlined above and have necessitated that the Court supply, at Court expense, a rapid test to be self-administered prior to entry. Accordingly, General Order No. 21-15 is hereby AMENDED effective December 20, 2021, as follows: All individuals seeking entry to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana (including District Judges’ chambers and courtrooms, Magistrate Judges’ chambers and courtrooms, the Clerk’s Office, the U.S. Probation Office, and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court) must provide proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test within 72 hours before entry. If anyone needing to enter the courthouse does not have the required credentials, the Court will provide a rapid test to be self-administered prior to entry subject to the following paragraph. Attorneys admitted to practice before this Court, as well as their employees and witnesses, must provide proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours before entry. Attorneys who fail to comply with this Order and/or fail to ensure that their employees and witnesses comply with this Order may be sanctioned by the Court, including, but not limited to, being ordered to reimburse the Court the cost of the rapid test plus an administrative fee, totaling $200.00 per instance. View this PDF
December 6, 2021
Public Notice is hereby given of proposed amendments to the Local Rules of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.  Comments may be made in writing on or before February 4, 2022, via email to Clerk@laed.uscourts.gov or addressed to Clerk of Court, U.S. District Court, EDLA, 500 Poydras St., Room C-151, New Orleans, LA 70130. Comments received will be made public and posted on the court’s website with the author’s name.  View this PDF
December 1, 2021
The Chief Judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana has issued COVID-19 General Order No. 21-16, extending COVID-19 General Order No. 21-13, COVID-19 General Order No. 21-7, COVID-19 General Order No. 21-3, COVID-19 General Order No. 20-14, COVID-19 General Order No. 20-11, COVID-19 General Order No. 20-8, and COVID-19 General Order No. 20-4 (attached as Exhibit A to this Order and incorporated herein by reference) for an additional ninety days or until March 1, 2022. View this PDF
November 22, 2021
On November 4, 2021, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana held naturalizations in which 34 individuals, hailing from across the globe, took the Oath of Allegiance to the United States and became new U.S. citizens.  The Honorable Nannette Jolivette Brown, Chief U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana, presided over the naturalizations, and volunteers from the New Orleans Chapter of the League of Women Voters were on hand to assist new citizens with registering to vote.  To view photos from the naturalizations, please select this link.   
October 22, 2021
To combat the spread of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), given the severity of risks posed to the public, Court staff, and other Court agencies, the undersigned as Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana hereby orders as follows, effective November 1, 2021: All individuals seeking entry to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana (including District Judges’ chambers and courtrooms, Magistrate Judges’ chambers and courtrooms, the Clerk’s Office, the U.S. Probation Office, and the Bankruptcy Court) must provide proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours before entry. If anyone needing to enter the courthouse does not have the required credentials, the Court will provide a rapid test to be self-administered prior to entry. The mask mandate and COVID-19 screening requirements, applicable to the entire Hale Boggs Federal Building, remain in effect for the United States District Court. View this PDF
October 4, 2021
On September 16, 2021, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana hosted a Zoom educational event entitled, “Empowering Beyond Survival: Exploring Pro Bono Representation of Domestic Violence Survivors.”  The Honorable Nannette Jolivette Brown, Chief U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana, hosted the event in compliance with the POWER Act, also known as the “Pro Bono Work to Empower and Represent” Act, a congressional mandate requiring the chief judge of each federal district to host an annual event promoting pro bono legal services for domestic violence survivors.  Chief Judge Brown gave opening and closing remarks, and panelists, Elena Perez, Managing Attorney for Southeast Louisiana Legal Services’ Pro Bono Program, Rebecca Rainey, Program Director for Metro Centers for Community Advocacy, Theresa Robertson, Attorney for Southeast Louisiana Legal Services, and Allyson Tuttle, Director of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New Orleans’ Project S.A.V.E., provided vital information on identifying and working with domestic violence survivors, court safety procedures, services provided by local domestic violence service providers, and pro bono opportunities.  Over 130 legal professionals attended the event, proving our local legal community’s commitment to serving survivors in need.  To view the event, please select this link.  
September 21, 2021
THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA ISSUED REQUEST FOR QUOTE NUMBER LAEDCLERK21-0015 FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF REUPHOLSTERY SERVICES FOR APPROXIMATELY 137 CHAIRS. VENDORS INTERESTED IN SUBMITTING A QUOTE MAY REQUEST A COPY OF THE SOLICITATION FROM LAEDML_PROCUREMENT@LAED.USCOURTS.GOV THE DEADLINE TO SUBMIT AN OFFER IS 12:00 P.M. C.S.T. ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2021. PLEASE CONTACT MICHAEL FOTO AT (504) 589-7661 WITH ANY QUESTIONS. Request for Quote
September 20, 2021
THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA ISSUED REQUEST FOR QUOTE NUMBER LAEDCLERK21-0016 FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF  BASES FOR 500 ROTARY CHAIRS.    VENDORS INTERESTED IN SUBMITTING A QUOTE MAY REQUEST A COPY OF THE SOLICITATION FROM LAEDML_PROCUREMENT@LAED.USCOURTS.GOV.    THE DEADLINE TO SUBMIT AN OFFER IS 5:00 P.M. C.S.T ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2021.  PLEASE CONTACT ALEXIS KOEPPEN AT (504) 589-7675 WITH ANY QUESTIONS. Request for Quote
September 10, 2021
The catastrophic damage caused by Hurricane Ida has reduced the Court’s ability to obtain an adequate spectrum of jurors and hinders the ability of counsel and Court staff to be safely present in the courtroom. Additionally, a continuance of jury trials is necessary to combat the spread of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), given the severity of risks posed to the public, Court staff, and other Court agencies, and considering the recent surge of COVID-19 cases within the thirteen parishes encompassing the Eastern District of Louisiana caused by the Delta variant. Accordingly, the undersigned as Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana hereby orders as follows: 1. All civil and criminal jury trials are suspended until November 1, 2021 and will be reset by each presiding judge. Attorneys should contact the presiding judges regarding any other deadlines that might be affected by this order.  2. With regard to criminal trials, this order extends criminal trial deadlines previously addressed in General Orders 21-11 and 21-12. Due to the Court’s reduced ability to safely obtain an adequate spectrum of jurors and the effect of Hurricane Ida and the recent surge of COVID-19 cases on the ability of counsel and Court staff to be safely present in the courtroom, the time period of the postponements implemented by this general 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

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