CACB — Coronavirus Public Emergency Activation of Continuity of Operations Plan

Source: https://www.cacb.uscourts.gov/sites/cacb/files/documents/general-orders/USDC-Order-20-042.pdf

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4 March 19, 2020 5

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8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

9 CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 10 ) IN RE: ) ORDER OF THE CHIEF JUDGE 11 ) 20-042 ) 12 CORONAVIRUS PUBLIC ) EMERGENCY ) 13 ) ACTIVATION OF CONTINUITY OF ) 14 OPERATIONS PLAN ) ) 15

16 WHEREAS, the President of the United States has declared a national 17 emergency in response to the outbreak of COVID-19, also known as the 18 “Coronavirus;” 19 WHEREAS, the Governor of the State of California has declared a state of

20 emergency in response to the outbreak of COVID-19;

21 WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended

22 that throughout the United States, for at least eight weeks, all gatherings should be

23 limited to no more than 10 people;

24 WHEREAS, local public health departments have recommended that large

25 gatherings be avoided, that elderly and other vulnerable populations avoid person-to-

26 person contact, and that employers allow employees to telework to the extent practical;

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1 WHEREAS, to date, several hundred people within the Central District of 2 California have been confirmed to be infected with COVID-19 and the number of 3 those infected continues to rise, causing an emergency pandemic; 4 WHEREAS, the Court has issued General Order Nos. 20-02 and 20-03 5 regarding the Coronavirus public emergency, implementing temporary emergency 6 procedures; 7 WHEREAS, since the Court took action to implement those emergency 8 procedures, COVID-19 has continued to spread among the population of the Central 9 District of California; 10 With the consent of the Executive Committee, the Chief Judge orders as 11 follows: 12 The Continuity of Operations (“COOP”) Plan for the Central District of 13 California is hereby activated, effective March 23, 2020 through and including May 1, 14 2020. The COOP Plan may be extended or inactivated as necessary. 15 The activation of the COOP Plan is necessary to ensure the continuous 16 performance of essential functions and operations of the Court. 17 The following are examples of actions that will be taken pursuant to the COOP 18 Plan: 19 x All of the Courthouses of the Central District of California will be closed 20 to the public except for hearings on criminal duty matters, as discussed 21 below. 22 x In civil cases, no hearings will go forward except for emergency time- 23 sensitive matters, such as requests for temporary restraining orders and 24 preliminary injunctions, as ordered by the assigned judicial officer. Any 25 hearings on emergency civil matters will proceed telephonically only. Pro 26

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1 se litigants must mail their filings to the Clerk of Court at 255 E. Temple 2 Street, Suite TS-134, Los Angeles, CA 90012-3332. 3 x In criminal cases, criminal duty matters will go forward in the Edward R. 4 Roybal Building and United States Courthouse in Los Angeles only. All 5 criminal document duty will be handled by each division in the normal 6 course of business. Telephonic hearings on other criminal matters may 7 proceed as directed by the assigned judicial officer. 8 x All matters before the Bankruptcy Court will proceed telephonically. 9 Further guidance will be provided by the Bankruptcy Court to pro se 10 petitioners. 11 x Chambers staff will be directed to telework except as otherwise directed 12 by their assigned judicial officer. The Clerk of Court will implement a 13 telework policy for the staff of the Clerk’s Office and the Probation and 14 Pretrial Services Office at her discretion. 15

16 IT IS SO ORDERED. 17

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19 Date: March 19, 2020 20 ________________________________________ 21 CHIEF UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE 22

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