U.S. Courts News

New Bankruptcy Filings Fall 1.1 Percent

Published onMay 6, 2020

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.

Judiciary Seeks Funding, Legislative Changes to Aid COVID-19 Response

Published onMay 5, 2020

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.

Courts Begin to Consider Guidelines for Reopening

Published onApril 27, 2020

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.

From Suffragist Sashes to Black Armbands, Law Day Distance Learning Focuses on Role of Courts

Published onApril 14, 2020

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

Courts Deliver Justice Virtually Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

Published onApril 8, 2020

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.

Courts Search for Protective Gear to Aid Hospitals

Published onApril 1, 2020

Two district courts in Florida have discovered stockpiles of urgently needed protective gear and donated them to local hospitals, prompting a call to federal courts across the country to search for surplus medical supplies in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis.

Published onMarch 31, 2020

In order to address health and safety concerns in federal courthouses and courtrooms, the Judicial Conference of the United States has temporarily approved the use of video and teleconferencing for certain criminal proceedings and access via teleconferencing for civil proceedings during the COVID-19 national emergency.

Courts Suspend Jury Trials in Response to Coronavirus

Published onMarch 26, 2020

Dozens of federal courts have postponed jury trials, grand juries, and other court proceedings to safeguard the health of jurors, court employees, and the public, as COVID-19 cases grow in the U.S. To maintain quick and reliable communication with jurors, most of the 94 federal court districts use an automated messaging system that can send email alerts, phone calls, and text messages informing jurors of courthouse cancellations or changes in service.

Online Tools Make Civics Accessible to Teachers, Parents, and Teens

Published onMarch 25, 2020

In communities forced to quarantine because of the coronavirus (COVID-19), social studies teachers are venturing into the distance learning space and parents are seeking ways to keep homebound teenagers constructively occupied. A series of U.S. Courts online civics resources can help fill this void, by stimulating critical thinking and thoughtful discussions.

Federal Judiciary Confronts Coronavirus Spread: Judicial Conference Acts on Court Administration Matters

Published onMarch 17, 2020

The Judicial Conference of the United States today convened by teleconference today due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19.

Annual Report and Judicial Business of 2019 Now Available

Published onMarch 17, 2020

In 2019, the Judiciary undertook several initiatives aimed at ensuring that the federal court system operates in an efficient, effective, and responsive way to maintain the trust and confidence of the public – a pillar of judicial independence. These initiatives, along with a detailed accounting of the work of the federal courts during 2019, are described in the Annual Report of the Director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AO), published on Tuesday.

Judiciary Preparedness for Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Published onMarch 12, 2020

Federal courts are individually coordinating with state and local health officials to obtain local information about the coronavirus (COVID-19), and some have issued orders relating to court business, and public and employee safety.

Court Eases Reentry Into Community and a Crime-Free Life

Published onMarch 11, 2020

Judges, federal defenders, prosecutors, and probation officers in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania have developed a program that draws on a wealth of community services to help ex-offenders rebuild their lives as they transition back into society.

Judiciary Seeks 2021 Funding, Cites Growing Workload

Published onFebruary 26, 2020

Federal Judiciary officials have asked Congress for $7.8 billion in FY 2021 to fund judicial branch operations. The request includes funding to keep pace with increased criminal prosecutions, new judicial appointments, and the increased need for probation supervision of offenders released from prison.

Source: https://www.uscourts.gov/

By

Robert Williams

Editor in Chief