News and Announcements

Federal probation and pretrial offices replaced many of their face-to-face operations with digital alternatives to protect the well-being of officers, the individuals they supervise, and the public, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Officers now utilize an array of telephone and video conferencing and location monitoring services, administer drug tests remotely, and facilitate telemedicine sessions to fulfill investigative and supervision duties from afar.

A comprehensive new report on conducting federal jury trials and convening grand juries during the pandemic details the number of factors for courts to consider, from changes to prospective juror questionnaires to creating safe spaces for jurors to deliberate safely.

The Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure and its five advisory committees have posted public input that was received, regarding possible rule amendments that could ameliorate future national emergencies’ effects on court operations.

Students and law schools are struggling to complete applications for coveted judicial clerkships during the global pandemic. And federal judges are being urged to help them by using an all-electronic hiring process instead of paper applications and in-person interviews.

Schools and courthouses may be closed because of the coronavirus, but judges and court system professionals are making virtual house calls to bring civics education to home-bound students in New Hampshire and Missouri and programs are underway in other states. The Second Circuit is providing robust online resources that teachers, parents, and others can use in the distance learning environment.

Bankruptcy filings fell by 1.1 percent for the 12-month period ending March 31, 2020, compared with the year ending March 31, 2019. According to statistics released by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, the March 2020 annual bankruptcy filings totaled 764,282, compared with 772,646 cases in the previous year.

The Judiciary has asked Congress for $36.6 million in supplemental funding, as well as several legislative reforms designed to help federal courts respond effectively to the coronavirus (COVID-19) emergency.

The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts has distributed to the courts guidelines for restoring operations that rely heavily on conditions in local communities and on objective data from local and state public health officials and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A new distance-learning video shows how rights activists from the Suffragist and Vietnam protest movements worked through the courts to seek social change.

From home offices and kitchen tables, federal judges are foregoing their traditional courtroom settings to continue some of their courts’ vital operations virtually amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.