D.C. Superior Court extends judicial emergency

D.C. Superior Court has again extended the pandemic-related judicial emergency, this time through May 10, 2021.

The Court will expand the types and number of cases it will hear.

All “statutory and rules-based time limits” will remain suspended during this time.  

Partially-remote courtrooms (in which the judge and defendant are present in person but all other parties participate by phone or videoconference) include C-10, 112, 202, 203, 211, 215, 310, 316. 

Remote courtrooms (in which all parties participate by phone or videoconference) include 111, 116, 210, 213, 218, 220, 311, 312, 313, 314, 317, 319 and 321. 

A number of courtrooms have been reconfigured to accommodate socially-distanced jury trials.  These courtrooms include 201, 203, 301, 302 and the juror lounge.  

Beginning on April 1, 2021, all diversion cases involving defendants who are not detained will proceed on their originally scheduled court dates.  Cases prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) will be heard in courtroom 312-R.  Cases prosecuted by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) will be heard in courtroom 313-R.

Beginning on May 10, 2021, arraignments for defendants who are not detained will be held on their originally scheduled or continued date in courtroom 312-R for USAO cases and courtroom 313-R for OAG cases.  These hearings will be entirely remote.

Also beginning on May 10, 2021, the Criminal Division will resume status hearings in all misdemeanor cases in which the defendant is not detained on the originally scheduled or continued date in courtroom 116-R.  These hearings will also be entirely remote.