Washington DC Courts Partially Closed due to Coronavirus COVID-19
Due to the presence of the Coronavirus/ COVID-19 in Washington DC, the District of Columbia Superior Court, Court of Appeals, DC Federal Courts, and U.S. Supreme Court will be partially closed.
Washington DC Superior Court
On March 16, 2020, Washington DC Superior Court officials will announce temporary procedures for legal proceedings. The DC Superior Court plans to postpone “all non-urgent matters or conduct them telephonically” while suspending eviction and foreclosure hearings and keeping juror summonses to a minimum.
UPDATE (4/19/2020)
District of Columbia Temporary Protection Orders issue for 2 weeks and were to expire in March or April will not expire until May 15th or the next assigned court date.
The District of Columbia Superior Court has only 4 courtrooms operating:
(1) family court emergencies,
(2) neglect and juvenile initial hearings
(3) adult arraignments and presentments;
(4) criminal and domestic violence emergencies and civil, probate and tax emergencies.
Jurors are not to report to the District of Columbia Superior Court.
The Marriage Bureau is now processing applications for marriage licenses remotely.
UPDATE (3/31/2020)
The District of Columbia Superior Court has limited courtrooms operating and the Court will only hear certain cases (and most of these hearing will be held via telephone):
(1) adult arraignments and presentments;
(2) family court emergencies,
(3) neglect and juvenile initial hearings;
(4) criminal and domestic violence emergencies and
(5) civil, probate and tax emergencies.
District of Columbia Superior Court Temporary Protection Orders that had been issued for 2 weeks and were to expire in March will not expire until May 15th or the next assigned court date.
Jurors are not to report to the District of Columbia Superior Court.
The Marriage Bureau is closed.
UPDATE (3/15/2020)
All new jury trials in DC Superior Court will be delayed until March 30, 2020 (at a minimum).
Any person called for DC Superior Court jury duty between March 16, 2020 and March 27, 2020 should not come to the DC Superior Court courthouse.
Washington DC Court of Appeals
The Washington DC Court of Appeals has announced that the Court is not closing; however, the Court will only remain open with certain precautionary measures. All DC Court of Appeals counsel and public are encouraged to increase their use of the court’s online services, such as e-filing and live-streaming oral arguments. On March 16, 2020, the Court of Appeals will be posting additional details regarding measures the court is taking regarding coronavirus/ COVID-19 in Washington DC.
UPDATE (3/31/2020)
DC Court of Appeals will not be holding any oral arguments through May 31, 2020, but the Court of Appeals will handle emergency matters.
Parties are requested to eFile or to email filings to efilehelp@dcappeals.gov.
Washington DC Bar Exam
The July 2020 Washington DC Bar Exam has been CANCELLED.
U.S. District Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
The DC Federal Court have announced that while they are not closed; the U.S. District Court and U.S. Court of Appeals Courthouses themselves will only be open to (a) judges, (b) staff members, and (c) people with official business before a court.
UPDATE (3/16/2020)
U.S. Supreme Court
As of Monday, March 16, 2020, the Supreme Court of the United States has announced that the Court will be postponing oral arguments for its March 2020 session due to concerns over coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Oral Argument for cases scheduled to come before the Supreme Court on March 23-25, 2020 and March 30-April 1, 2020.
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