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`UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
`WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
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`In Re:
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`NEW MODIFIED COURT
`OPERATIONS UNDER THE EXIGENT
`CIRCUMSTANCES CREATED BY
`COVID-19 AND RELATED
`CORONAVIRUS
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`GENERAL ORDER NO. 18-20
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`This General Order is being issued in response to the continuing outbreak of Coronavirus
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`Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in this District. On March 17 and 25, 2020, the Court entered General
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`Orders 02-20 and 03-20 addressing, among other things, the closing of the Seattle and Tacoma
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`Courthouses for at least 30 days and the procedures for conducting civil and criminal matters
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`remotely. The Court incorporates here its prior findings regarding COVID-19 and the emergency
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`declarations and public health guidelines as set forth in those prior General Orders.
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`On April 13, 2020, the Court continued the procedures established by General Orders 02-
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`20 and 03-20 for 30 days. Further continuances were issued on May 13, July 30, September 4,
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`and most recently October 2, 2020.
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`In the last three months, the daily number of positive cases, hospitalizations, and deaths
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`have significantly increased in the Western District of Washington. This has foreclosed the
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`possibility of further increasing the number and type of in-court proceedings. A statewide
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`vaccination effort has begun, with the first doses going to “Phase 1A” groups, which include
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`frontline health workers and long-term care residents and staff. The distribution of the vaccine
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`to other members of the general public is anticipated to proceed in phases through the coming
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`- 1
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`HTC v. Ancora
`Review of U.S. Patent 6,411,941
`HTC Exhibit 1017
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`months. At this time, it appears likely that the majority of individuals with business in the
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`Courthouses, including potential jurors, will not be fully vaccinated before March 31, 2021.
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`Limiting the size and frequency of gatherings remain critical to preventing serious injury and
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`death from COVID-19.
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`Accordingly, the Court ORDERS that the procedures established by General Order 15-
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`20 will be continued until March 31, 2021. All District Court civil and criminal in-person
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`hearings and trials in these Courthouses scheduled to occur before March 31, 2021, are continued
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`pending a future general order from this Court or the order of an individual judge consistent with
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`the procedures set forth in General Order 15-20.
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`Courthouse lobbies will remain open for the public to use drop boxes to deposit
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`documents for filing and payments for the District Clerk’s Office. Individuals may enter the
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`courthouses to conduct official business provided they have scheduled appointments or
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`notifications to do so. Members of the public who wish to view a criminal proceeding or trial
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`will be directed to the Court’s website to access video streaming of those proceedings.
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`The Court further ORDERS the continuation of the following procedural changes:
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`1. In order to limit the physical exchange of documents, signatures on documents in civil
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`and criminal proceedings conducted remotely will not be required. Instead, the Court
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`will make a record that the document has been reviewed and authorized by the
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`signatory and is fully binding. Such documents include, but are not limited to:
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`a. Financial affidavits (28 U.S.C. 1746);
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`b. CJA Appointments;
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`c. Consents to proceed before a magistrate judge;
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`d. Waiver of in-person hearings in criminal matters;
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`- 2
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`e. Appearance bonds/Orders of release;
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`f. Plea agreements;
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`g. Jury verdicts; and
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`h. Judgments.
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`2. Local Civil Rule 32 continues to include among the definitions of “Unavailable
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`Witness” in FRCP 32(4)(C) the following: “concern about personal health risks from
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`exposure to the COVID-19 virus.”
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`Other General Orders addressing particular COVID-19 issues have not expired and need
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`not be modified at this time.
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`Dated this 30th day of December, 2020.
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` A
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`RICARDO S. MARTINEZ
`CHIEF UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
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`- 3
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