03/17/2020
Northern District of Texas - Special Order No. 13-5:
1. All civil and criminal bench and jury trials scheduled to begin on any date from now through May 1, 2020, are continued, to a date to 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. Due to the Court's reduced ability to obtain an adequate spectrum of jurors and due to the reduced availability of attorneys and Court staff to be present in courtrooms because of the public health considerations described above, the time period of the continuances implemented by this Order are excluded under the Speedy Trial Act, 18 U.S.C § 3161(h)(7)(A).
The Court finds that the ends of justice served by ordering these continuances outweigh the best interests of the public and each defendant's right to a speedy trial. In fact, the best interests of the public are served by these continuances.
3. For the detailed reasons described above, all grand jury proceedings between now and through May 1, 2020, are continued. All deadlines are suspended and tolled for all purposes, including the statute of limitations, from today through May 1, 2020.
4. Individual judges may continue to hold in-person hearings, sentencing proceedings, and conferences, but counsel may seek relief from those matters by appropriate motions. The parties are encouraged to seek to participate in non sentencing hearings and conferences by telephone or video. This Order does not impact any court's consideration of particular matters on the papers alone.
5. Magistrate Judges will continue to preside over criminal matters, such as initial appearances, arraignments, detention hearings and the issuance of warrants. However, all hearings for the P.A.S.S. Re-entry Court, scheduled between now and May 1, 2020, are cancelled.
6. Any events involving the court that are not case-specific, including, but not limited to, continuing legal education courses, public tours, administration of oaths to attorneys, and naturalization ceremonies conducted by the Court which are scheduled to occur between March 16 and May 1, 2020, are hereby cancelled and will be rescheduled as appropriate.
7. All of the courthouses of the Northern District of Texas, including the Clerk’s offices and offices of United States Pretrial and Probation, will remain open for business. However, many employees, including some of chambers staff, will be teleworking, but they will be accessible by phone. Electronic filings may continue to be made through the CM/ECF system.
8. Any delivery directed to chambers shall be delivered instead to the Clerk’s offices in each courthouse.
9. Unless extended, this Order will remain in effect through May 1, 2020, and will then expire.
