On March 17, 2020, the Chief Judge issued Order of the Chief Judge (OCJ) 18, declaring a judicial emergency for a period of 30 days under 18 U.S.C. § 3174 and setting forth Emergency Orders for the Southern District of California due to the COVID-19 public health emergency...

  Click Here to view CJO #27 order.

Beginning May 11, 2020 and extending until further order of the Chief Judge or of the Court, all criminal cases in which the defendant is prepared to enter a felony or misdemeanor guilty plea or is prepared for sentencing, via video conference proceedings, will continue to receive scheduling priority...

  Click Here to view CJO #26 order.

On Friday, April 24, 2020, the County of San Diego announced that all San Diego County residents will be required to wear face coverings while in public starting Friday, May 1, 2020. The new mandate will be added to the County of San Diego public health order that will require anyone to wear a face covering whenever they are within six-feet of a non-household member...

  Click Here to view CJO #25 order.

On March 17, 2020, the Chief Judge issued Order of the Chief Judge (OCJ) 18, declaring a judicial emergency for a period of 30 days under 18 U.S.C. § 3174 and setting forth Emergency Orders for the Southern District of California due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. That Order was subsequently amended and modified by OCJs 18-A and 22. On April 2, 2020, the Judicial Council of the Ninth Circuit ratified the judicial emergency declared in OCJ 18, and extended it for an additional period of up to one year...

  Click Here to view CJO #24 order.

The United States has applied ex parte for an Order, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 983, granting a 60-day blanket extension of the statutory deadlines by which the government is required to: (1) commence administrative forfeiture proceedings against seized property; and (2) commence civil judicial forfeiture actions following submission of timely administrative claims in such proceedings....

  Click Here to view CJO #23 order.

Beginning April 13, 2020, and extending through May 8, 2020, all felony criminal sentencings in which the Government is recommending a "time-served" or probationary sentence for in-custody defendants will be given scheduling priority on the Court's calendars...

  Click Here to view CJO #22 order.

The United States has moved ex parte for a temporary order staying civil matters involving the Commissioner of Social Security as a party under 42 U.S.C. § 405(g) due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. For good cause shown, the Chief Judge issues this Order...

  Click Here to view CJO #21 order.

Congress has passed legislation authorizing the use of video and telephone conferencing, under certain circumstances and with the consent of the defendant, for various criminal case events during the course of the COVID-19 emergency. See The CARES Act, H.R. 7 48. The Judicial Conference of the United States has also found that emergency conditions due to the national emergency declared by the President have affected and will materially affect the functioning of the federal courts generally...

  Click Here to view CJO #20 order.

On March 1 7, 2020, the Court issued Order of Chief Judge No. 18, limiting Court operations in response to the recent outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19). As a result, most criminal proceedings in the Southern District of California have been continued until at least April 16, 2020...

  Click Here to view CJO #19 order.

This Order amends paragraph 4 of Order of the Chief Judge No. 18, and is predicated on the facts set forth there...

  Click Here to view CJO #18-A order.

The Edward J. Schwartz and James M. Carter & Judith N. Keep United States Courthouses in San Diego, and the United States Courthouse in El Centro will remain open for business, subject to the limitations of this Order and those set out previously in Order of the Chief Judge No. 17.

  Click Here to view CJO #18 order.

In order to protect the public safety, and prevent the spread of the coronavirus ( COVID-19), the Court adopts the following visitor restrictions for all courthouses and probation and pretrial services offices in the District...

  Click Here to view CJO #17-A order.
  Click Here to view CJO #17 order.