Visitor restrictions are being imposed for federal courts in Massachusetts to limit the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by a new coronavirus, officials said Thursday.
The U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts has announced that some groups of people are now prohibited from entering federal courthouses and probation offices.
That restriction applies to people who have traveled to China, Italy, Iran, Japan and South Korea in the last 14 days, according to a public notice. The list of countries could be expanded.
Federal courthouses are located in Boston, Worcester and Springfield. The courthouses will remain open, but with limitations that will remain in place until it is safe to remove them, according to a notice signed by Clerk of Court Robert M. Farrell and an order by Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV.
The courts are also prohibiting anyone who resides with or has had close contact with someone who has traveled to those countries in the last 14 days, according to the notice.
People who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 or who have had contact with anyone who has been diagnosed with the respiratory illness are also prohibited from entering.
Additionally, entry to federal courthouses and probation offices will be denied to people who have been asked to self-quarantine by any doctor, hospital or health agency or anyone with symptoms of COVID-19, including fever, severe cough or shortness of breath.
Anyone who is unable to appear in court for those reasons is asked to contact their attorney. Attorneys who are impacted and scheduled to appear in court before a judge should contact that session directly.
Effective immediately, all jury trials scheduled to begin before April 27 are continued pending further order of the court and all trial-specific deadlines in criminal cases scheduled to begin before April 27 are continued pending further order of the court, according to the notice by Saylor.
“The court is cognizant of the right of criminal defendants to a speedy and public trial under the Sixth Amendment, and the particular application of that right in cases involving defendants who are detained pending trial,” Saylor wrote. “Any motion by a criminal defendant seeking an exception to this order in order to exercise that right should be directed to the District Judge assigned to the matter in the first instance provided, however, that no such exception may be ordered without the approval of the Chief Judge after consultation with the court.”
Individual judges can hold hearings, conferences and trials with their own discretion, Saylor wrote. Judges are encouraged to conduct proceedings by telephone or video conferencing.
Grand juries will continue to meet and criminal matters like first appearances, arraignments, detention hearings and the issuance of search warrants will continue, Saylor wrote.
Those who are scheduled to meet with probation or pretrial services are asked to call 617-748-4200. Jurors are asked to call 617-748-9082.
For other district court matters, anyone can call the clerk’s office at 617-748-9152.
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