See below for the Northern District of Georgia’s Order extending the judicial emergency to May 15, 2020. I would expect other Courts to follow suit soon. The Northern District of Georgia has also issued an Order allowing video teleconferencing and telephone conferencing in certain criminal proceedings. For the Order below and information on these other Orders, you can also go to the Northern District of Georgia website at http://www.gand.uscourts.gov/.
Stay safe and healthy my friends.
ORDER
In its General Order 20-01 dated March 16, 2020, this Court addressed Court
operations under the exigent circumstances created b the spread of COVID-19 and the
related Coronavirus. General Order 20-01 directed that no jurors be summoned in any
Division of the Northern District of Georgia for 30 days from the date of the Order and
continued all jury trials, including any trial specific deadlines, for 30 days pending further
Order of the Court. The Order similarly directed that no grand jurors be summoned and
all grand jury proceedings in the District be continued for 30 days pending further Order
of the Court.
The exigent circumstances identified in General Order 20-01 having worsened
with many citizens within the Northern District of Georgia now being under state and
local government shelter in place instructions; and additional operations of the court
needing to change in recognition of these circumstances, and
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that General Order 20-01 is amended to extend
the specified 30-day time periods contained therein through and including the date of
May 15.2020.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the time period of any continuance entered as a
result of this Order (whether that continuance causes a pre-indictment delay or a pre-trial
delay) shall be excluded under the Speedy Trial Act, 18 U.S.C. § 3161(h)(7)(A), as the
Court finds that the ends of justice served by taking that action outweigh the interests of
the parties and the public in a speedy trial. Absent further Order of the Court or any
individual judge. the period of exclusion shall be from March 23, 2020, through and
including May 15, 2020. The Court may extend the period of exclusion as circumstances
may warrant. This Order and period of exclusion are incorporated by reference as a
specific finding under 1 8 U.S.C. § 3161 (h)(7)(A) in the record of each pending case
where the Speedy Trial Act applies. See Zedner v. United States, 547 [1.5. 489, 506-07
(2006). The period of exclusion in this Court’s prior General Order 20-0 1 on this subject
is likewise incorporated by reference as a specific finding under 1 8 U.S.C. §
3l61(h)(7)(A) in the record of each pending case where the Speedy i’rial Act applies.
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that General Order 20-01 is amended to extend
the specified 30-day time periods contained therein through and including the date of
May 15. 2020.
Dated this 30th day of March 2020.
THOMAS W. THRASH, JR.
CHIEF UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE