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U.S. Courts Restrict Access and Limit Operations in Response to COVID-19 Public Health Emergency

Posted at 10:24 PM, Mar 16, 2020
and last updated 2020-03-17 00:24:23-04

The United States Courts for the District of Montana have implemented two orders limiting court operations in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency.

According to Administrative Order 20-14, courthouses in Billings, Butte, Great Falls, Helena, and Missoula will remain open for business exceptions being:

  • Jury trials and their assosiated final pre-trial conferences scheduled to begin on or before May 1st are to be reset by the presiding judge
  • All grand jury proceedings scheduled thorough May 1st, 2020 are vacated unless otherwise ordered by chief judge
  • Group tours, Naturalization ceremonies, and Attorney admissions ceremonies will be canceled until May 1st

Non- jury trials will proceed as normal including bench trials, sentencing hearings, in person hearing, and settling conferences.

There will be more restrictions for visiting the courthouses. Indivisuals not allowed to enter include:

  • persons who have traveled outside of the country within the last fourteen days
  • Person who reside or have had close contact with someone who has traveled outside of the country within the last fourteen days
  • Persons who have been asked to self-quarantine by any doctor, hospital, or health agency
  • Persons who have been diagnosed with or have had contact with anyone who has been diagnosed with coronavirus
  • Persons with apparent symptoms of COVID - 19 such as fever, severe cough, or shortness of breath

For more information regarding these orders visit their website.