May District Updates

May 2021

Central District of California

Covid-19 Update: The court has entered Phase 3 of its Plan for Phased Resumption of Operations (“Reopening Plan”), permitting jury trials to resume. Effective April 19, 2021, all courthouses in the Central District will remain open to persons with court business and subject to all posted restrictions. In -court hearings will be permitted in all matters at the discretion of the assigned judge. Some hearings may continue to be held by video or telephonic conference. Jury trials will be permitted in civil and criminal cases. Jury trials will commence in the Southern Division of the Central District on May 10, 2021. In the Eastern and Western Divisions, jury trials will commence on June 7, 2021. For additional information, please see the Notices from the Clerk. 

CJA Panel: On May 3, 2021, the court issued a Recruitment Notice for Criminal Justice Act (CJA) Trial Attorney Panel. Attorneys interested in applying for the CJA panel, which is comprised of private attorneys eligible and willing to provide representation to persons financially unable to obtain adequate representation in criminal cases, can find additional information and the application here.

Southern District of California

Covid-19 Update: Short cause criminal jury trials resumed on March 8, 2021 and civil jury trials will resume on June 1, 2021. Criminal bench trials may proceed subject to limitations and civil bench trials may proceed without limitation. (See CJO 36-A; see also CJO-62, 63, and 63-A). Most other proceedings can proceed by telephone or videoconference.

End of Patent Pilot Program: Civil local rule 40.1 was amended to remove special provisions for the assignment of new patent cases, and to modify the procedures for assigning cases to new judges.

Northern District of California

Covid-19 Update: Court operations and courthouse safety protocols remain in effect. (See the notice for protocols, effective June 1, 2020, and the notice regarding access and proceedings held by videoconference, updated July 27, 2020.) Courthouse building access is limited, and authorized visitors must follow self-screening and other safety protocols. Information for attorneys attending criminal in-courthouse proceedings can be found here, last updated April 7, 2021.

Eastern District of California

Covid-19 Update: All courthouse locations are closed to the public. Appearances in civil cases and certain criminal proceedings will proceed by telephone or videoconference.

NextGen Upgrade: On Tuesday, July 6, 2021, the court will go live on the Next Generation of CM/ECF (NextGen), the latest version of the Federal Judiciary’s case management and electronic case filing system. This upgrade provides benefits including Central Sign-On, which allows attorneys to use one PACER login and password to access all NextGen courts (district, appellate and bankruptcy) in which they practice. On July 6, 2021, e-filers will be required to use their own individual PACER login and password to access the California Eastern District electronic filing system. Preparing for the NextGen implementation requires a 3-step process by all attorneys