The Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana has issued COVID-19 General Order No. 20-14, extending COVID-19 General Order No. 20-11,  COVID-19 General Order No. 20-8 and COVID-19 General Order No. 20-4 for an additional ninety days or until March 18, 2021.  View this PDF.

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 public health recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the undersigned Chief Judge for United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana hereby issues this order, which amends COVID-19 General Order No. 20-6, COVID-19 General Order No. 20-9, and COVID-19 General Order No. 20-10 (attached as Exhibit A to this Order and incorporated herein by reference) to extend certain deadlines addressed therein as follows.  1. All civil and criminal jury trials are suspended until March 1, 2021 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, due to the Court’s reduced ability to obtain an adequate spectrum of jurors and the effect of the recommendations of the health organizations mentioned in Exhibit A on the ability of counsel and Court staff to be present in the courtroom, 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.

Effective November 1, 2020, 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 open to the general public for limited purposes. Please consult with each individual judge’s chambers for specific information on whether proceedings in pending civil and criminal cases will proceed via videoconference or telephone or whether the proceedings will occur in person. Due to ongoing construction, the Intake and Pro Se Desks of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana will remain closed to the general public. Documents may be filed electronically through the District Court’s electronic filing system, CM-ECF, which remains fully operational. Unrepresented persons may send filings to the District Court electronically at prosedocs@laed.uscourts.gov; by U.S. mail to The Clerk’s Office, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana, 500 Poydras Street, Room C-151, New Orleans, Louisiana 70130; or by facsimile to (504) 310-8159. Unrepresented persons may also submit pleadings in person through a drop box in the U.S. District Courthouse lobby.   View this PDF.

The Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana has issued amended COVID-19 General Order No. 20-1, effective immediately and until this order is rescinded: The following persons may not enter the U.S. Courthouse in the Eastern District of Louisiana or any offices occupied in the Hale Boggs Federal Building: Persons who have been advised to self-quarantine by any doctor, hospital or health agency within the last 14 days; Persons who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 or told to presume they have COVID-19 by a health professional within the last 14 days; Persons who have had contact in the last 14 days with anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 or told to presume they have COVID-19 by a health professional, unless the diagnosis was more than 14 days ago and the person diagnosed has been symptom-free for the past 72 hours; Persons who have had cough, shortness of breath, fever, chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, loss of taste or smell, or extreme fatigue within the last 14 days, unless the symptoms are attributable to another known condition; Persons who reside with someone who has had cough, shortness of breath, fever, chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, loss of taste or smell, or extreme fatigue within the last 14 days, unless the symptoms are attributable to another known condition; Persons who have returned from international travel, a cruise ship, river voyage or returned from travel to a state that has a significant degree of community-wide spread of COVID-19; Persons not wearing a mask or face covering over their nose and mouth unless they present medical documentation stating that they are unable to wear a mask for health reasons; and Persons exhibiting a fever of 100.4 or higher, unless they can present medical documentation that the symptom is attributable to a condition or diagnosis that is not contagious or transmittable. Anyone attempting to enter in violation of these protocols will be denied entry by a Court Security Officer or the U.S. Marshals Service. Anyone who has business in the U.S. Courthouse or offices occupied in the Hale Boggs Federal Building but who cannot enter because of this order, should do the following: Persons who are represented by an attorney should contact their attorney; Attorneys, pro se litigants, or witnesses who are scheduled to appear in court before a judge should contact the judge’s case manager directly (contact information can be found on the Court’s website); Persons who are scheduled to meet with a U.S. Probation Officer should contact the U.S. Probation Office at (504) 589-3200; Jurors should contact the Jury Department at (504) 589-7730; Employees reporting to work should contact their supervisor; Persons having business with any other agency housed in the Hale Boggs Federal Building should contact that agency directly; For all other matters, please contact the Clerk’s Office at (504) 589-7600. It is further ordered that while in the courthouse, all persons must comply with court and security personnel instructions and the following rules: 1. Face Coverings: You must wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth in all public areas of the courthouse (including hallways, public counters, elevators and courtrooms), unless you are permitted to remove your mask by an authorized court staff member; 2. Social Distancing: You must adhere to safe social distancing rules by standing or sitting at least six feet away from other individuals. You must abide by markings on floors and benches indicating where you may stand or sit. If you are standing in line, you must keep six feet away from the person in front of you and behind you unless you are taking care of a small child or assisting someone with special needs. Elevator and bathroom capacity will be limited to one person at a time. 3. Instructional Signage: You must abide by all health and hygiene signage throughout the courthouse, including signage regarding masks, social distancing, occupancy restrictions, and hand washing. Anyone who fails or refuses to abide by these rules will be required to leave the courthouse immediately. Anyone who thinks they may have been exposed to COVID-19 should self-quarantine and contact their healthcare provider immediately. View this PDF.