On September 18, 2020, the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia entered General Order #9, which continues all civil and criminal petit jury selections and trials scheduled to commence effective September 21, 2020 due to an increase in the presence of the COVID-19 virus in the community.  The Order also continued all grand jury meetings for the remainder of September and October.

The Order states that all other civil and criminal proceedings in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia may be conducted in-person at the discretion of the presiding judicial officer, provided that the in-person proceeding is conducted in a manner that complies with social distancing and other safety guidelines, including the requirement to wear a mask.  The Order provides that the presiding judicial officer may continue the use of existing videoconferencing and other technologies to conduct court proceedings in accordance with prior directives of the Court.

If you have any questions about how this Order may affect you, please feel free to contact one of the attorneys in our Charleston office at (304) 341-0500.