COVID-19 Court Closures & Guidance

Last updated August 21, 2020

COVID-19 has forced the closure of many businesses throughout the country, and the courthouses where DGS clients frequently litigate are subject to these same pressures. The limitations and closures of courts in Colorado and elsewhere vary widely from state to state and even within each state. DGS attorneys continue to monitor these closures and limitations. Please contact David Holman if you would like DGS to monitor additional states or courts.

Colorado

Federal Courts in Colorado

• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
  • Operational Response to COVID-19 Pandemic
  • General Order, June 12, 2020
    Effective June 15, 2020, the Byron White Courthouse will reopen only to members of the public who have pending business with the court.
• District of Colorado
  • General Order 2020-14
    Modifies General Order 2020-10. All civil and criminal trials scheduled to commence now through September 4 are continued.
  • General Order 2020-11
    Guiding jury operations in Grand Junction and Colorado Springs beginning August 3, 2020.
  • General Order 2020-10
    Requiring non-employee entrants to Courthouses and Probation Offices to wear a face covering. The Clerk’s Office and Probation Offices remain closed to public entry. Supersedes General Orders 2020-1, -3, -8, and -9.
  • General Order 2020-9
    Modifying certain dates in General Order 2020-6.
  • General Order 2020-8
    All civil and criminal trials scheduled to commence through July 6, 2020 are continued subject to further order of the presiding judicial officer.
  • General Order 2020-7
    Appointing the Federal Public Defender to decide whether defendants are eligible to petition the Court for compassionate release under the First Step Act.
  • General Order 2020-6
    All civil and criminal trials scheduled to commence though May 29 are continued. All grand jury proceedings are suspended through May 29.
  • General Order 2020-5
    Provides for electronic transmission of bond reports
  • General Order 2020-4
    Provides for video/telephonic conferencing of certain criminal proceedings.
  • General Order 2020-3
    Until May 1, 2020 only persons with official court business may enter the courthouses and U.S. Probation Offices of the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado. The Clerk’s Office and Probation Offices are closed to public entry. All civil and criminal trials scheduled to commence through May 1 are continued. All grand jury proceedings are suspended through May 1.
  • General Order 2020-2
    All civil, criminal petit, and grand jury selections and jury trials scheduled to commence March 13 through April 3 are continued pending further order of the assigned judge.
  • General Order 2020-1
    Certain visitors, including persons who recently traveled abroad or have been exposed to COVID-19, are prevented from entering courthouses or courtrooms.

State Courts in Colorado

• Colorado Supreme Court
  • Important Announcements Page
  • Updated Order Regarding COVID-19 (July 24)
    No person shall be required to report for jury service before August 3, 2020.
• Colorado Supreme Court’s Message to Colorado Attorneys
• Colorado Court of Appeals
  • Order
    All oral arguments scheduled for March 2020 and April 2020 have been vacated.
  • Oral Arguments Via Web Ex Through Fall 2020
    All oral arguments are currently conducted remotely via Web Ex.

• Colorado Judicial Districts
  • 1^st Judicial District
    Courts have limited operations through July 5; all appearances except for matters concerning public safety have been vacated and continued.
  • 2^nd Judicial District
    The 2^nd Judicial district will resume jury calls in progressive phases.
    • Joint Administrative Order 2020-05
    • Administrative Order 2020-08
      Between August 3^rd and August 28^th, the 2^nd district will conduct two jury calls for District Court each Monday and Tuesday, two County Court jury calls each Wednesday and Thursday, and one jury call for District Court Juvenile.
  • 3^rd Judicial District
    All court hearings set through May 31 will be continued for 60 days, with listed exceptions. The court is operating on an emergency basis, open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. for essential functions.
    • Administrative Order 20-04
    • Administrative Order 20-05
    • Administrative Order 20-07
    • Administrative Order 20-09
    • Notice Regarding COVID-19
• • 4^th Judicial District
    The El Paso County Courthouse and Teller County Courthouse are open to the public on a limited basis from August 1 through August 31.
    • Chief Judge Order 20-25
    • Chief Judge Order 20-21
    • Chief Judge Order 20-20
    • Chief Judge Order 20-19
• • 5^th Judicial District
    The 5^th Judicial District is seeking a waiver to permit jury trials to proceed between July 6 and August 3, 2020.
    • Amended Administrative Order 2020-102A-4
• • 6^th Judicial District
    • Second Amended Administrative Order No. 2020-3
    • Administrative Order 2020-07
    • Administrative Order 2020-08
    • Administrative Order 2020-09
• • 7^th Judicial District
    Certain visitors are requested not to come to the courthouse.
  • 8^th Judicial District
    Although Chief Justice Coats’ June 15, 2020 order precludes summoning people for jury service prior to August 3, a decision has not yet been made as to whether to request a waiver from the Chief Justice for jury trials scheduled to begin on or after July 13, 2020.
    • Third Amended Administrative Order 2020-2
    • Fort Collins Temporary Operation Procedures
    • Loveland Temporary Operation Procedures
    • Administrative Order 2020-7 Regarding Prohibited Conduct in Court Facilities
• • 9^th Judicial District
    Courthouse access is limited to listed matters concerning public safety.
    • Administrative Order 20-01.A
    • Administrative Order 20-02 (WebEx Procedures)
    • Administrative Order 20-03
    • Administrative Order 20-05
• • 10^th Judicial District
    Certain departments are closed to in-person activity until further notice. For docketed matters beginning March 23, each division shall initiate rescheduling or hearing by phone conference.
    • Administrative Order 20-02
• • 11^th Judicial District
    By June 1, it is anticipated that most judicial employees will have returned to work. Criminal cases will resume; civil cases may be heard but hearings may be limited or delayed.
    • Second Amended Chief Judge Directive
• • 12^th Judicial District
    Matters scheduled after June 1 and through July 5 will primarily be heard through audio or video means. All civil jury trials scheduled between now and August 31, 2020 shall be vacated.
    • Administrative Order No. 2020-03 (amended May 11)
• • 13^th Judicial District
    The court is attempting to maintain normal operations to the fullest extent possible. Certain visitors are requested not to come to the courthouse.
    • 13^th Judicial District COVID-19 Response and Continuity of Operations Guideline
• • 14^th Judicial District
    Except for matters concerning public safety, all other appearances, hearings, and trials will likely be continued at a later date. Parties or counsel shall contact the court to reschedule.
    • Chief Judge Order 2020-08
    • Amended Administrative Order 2020-04
    • Chief Judge Directive 2020-05
• • 15^th Judicial District
    Except for listed matters concerning public safety, all appearances set from March 17 to May 1 are vacated and continued.
  • 16^th Judicial District
    Trial courts are operating on a limited basis.
    • Administrative Order 2020-05
    • Amended Administrative Order 2020-05A
    • Second Amended Administrative 2020-05B
    • Administrative Order Regarding D&N Proceedings
    • Third Amended Administrative Order 2020-05C
• • 17^th Judicial District
    The courts will continue to operate with primarily virtual dockets for the month of August 2020.
    • Sixth Amended Administrative Order 2020-01 A6
• • 18^th Judicial District
    • Fourth Amended Chief Judge Order 20-06
      Limited jury trials have resumed in specified circumstances.
    • Chief Judge Order 20-08 Regarding Court Operations in Arapahoe County
    • Chief Judge Order 20-09 Regarding Court Operations in Douglas County, Elbert County, and Lincoln County
• • 19^th Judicial District
    It is not anticipated that the Court will be in a position to resume normal operations on August 3, 2020; therefore, it is likely that matters scheduled after August 3, 2020 will primarily be heard through audio or video means.
    • Fourth Revised Administrative Order 2020-06
• • 20^th Judicial District
    If you have a court date at the Boulder County Jail at 1:30pm, Monday through Friday, you are required to appear at the Boulder County Jail on the date and time scheduled.
  • 21^st Judicial District
    All felony criminal trials scheduled to commence prior to October 6, 2020 shall be continued. Judges may submit a written request to the Chief Judge for approval to conduct civil and misdemeanor criminal jury selections for trials scheduled to begin on or after August 31.
    • Administrative Order 2020-16
    • Administrative Order 2020-15
    • Administrative Order 2020-14
    • Administrative Order 2020-10
• • 22^nd Judicial District
    Except for matters concerning public safety, most other appearances, hearings, and trials set through July 5 will be by video or telephone.
    • Administrative Order 2020-04
    • First Amended Administrative Order 2020-02
    • Administrative Order 2020-03

Montana

Montana State Courts (no updates since 5/22)

• Montana Supreme Court
  • March 27 Order
    All civil jury trials shall be suspended until after April 10, 2020.
  • April 27 Memo from Chief Justice McGrath
    Extending the March 27 order until May 4.
  • COVID-19 Memo from Chief Justice McGrath 5-22-2020
• District Courts
  • Local Rules on COVID-19

Nevada

Nevada State Courts

• Nevada Supreme Court and Court of Appeals
  • In Re COVID-19 Emergency Oral Argument Procedures
• District Courts
  • Public Portal for Orders Imposing COVID-19 restrictions

New Mexico

New Mexico State Courts

• New Mexico Courts – COVID-19 Page
  People entering New Mexico courthouses are required to wear a face covering.
• New Mexico Supreme Court
  • June 16 Order
    Setting plea and settlement deadline for cases in which jury selection or bench trial is scheduled to begin on or after July 1.
  • July 6 Order
    Adopting health emergency protocols related to judicial buildings and proceedings.

North Dakota

United States District Court for the District of North Dakota

• Administrative Order 5/12
  All jury trials presently scheduled between March 16, 2020 and July 3, 2020 are continued.

North Dakota State Courts

• Coronavirus Response Guidance
• Compiled Emergency Orders
• North Dakota Supreme Court Order 25. Coronavirus Pandemic (amended April 15)
  Civil and criminal jury trials are suspended through July 1 unless otherwise ordered by the Court.
  

Ohio

Ohio State Courts

• Coronavirus Resources
• Supreme Court of Ohio Guidance to Local Courts
• Responsible Restart Ohio Court Access
  

Oklahoma

Oklahoma State Courts

• Supreme Court and Court of Criminal Appeals
  • March 16 Order
  • March 23 Order
  • March 25 Order
  • March 27 Order
  • April 29 Order
    In all cases, the period from March 16 to May 15 will be treated as a tolling period. Beginning on May 16, all rules and procedures, and all deadlines, shall be enforced.

Texas

Texas State Courts

• Emergency Orders for COVID-19
  As of August 11, five emergency orders are still in effect. Jury proceedings are prohibited until October 1 with certain exceptions.
• Current & Upcoming Closures

Wyoming

Wyoming State Courts

• Coronavirus COVID-19 Updates
• Wyoming Supreme Court COVID-19 Order (March 18)
• Wyoming Supreme Court COVID-19 Order (March 20)
• Wyoming Supreme Court COVID-19 Order (March 26)
• Wyoming Supreme Court Order Extending Emergency Orders to May 31 (April 1)
• Fourth Order Amending March 18, 2020 Temporary Plan
  No jury trials should be conducted prior to August 3, 2020. All in-person proceedings in all Circuit and District Courts and the Supreme Court in Wyoming should be suspended from the close of business on March 18, 2020 to August 3, 2020, with listed exceptions.
• Order Extending COVID-19 Emergency Procedural Orders to October 5, 2020