Northern District of Georgia Allowing Remote Proceedings By Video or Teleconference
07 May 2020

Chief Judge Thomas W. Thrash, Jr. issued an order on April 16, 2020 that temporarily allows judges of the Northern District of Georgia to conduct remote hearings by video or teleconference services such as Zoom. While Judicial Conference policy usually prohibits the broadcasting of proceedings in federal trial courts, the Executive Committee approved a temporary exception to this policy to allow judges to use teleconference technology to provide the public and the media access to court proceedings while public access to federal courthouses is restricted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This authorization will end when the Judicial Conference decides that emergency conditions no longer require it. In the meantime, pursuant to this temporary authorization and Chief Judge Thrash's order, federal judges in the Northern District of Georgia may use video conference, telephone conference, or other remote technologies to conduct court proceedings. People receiving remote access, however, are prohibited from photographing, recording, or otherwise rebroadcasting the court proceedings. In addition, members of the public who attend the proceedings must follow instructions, such as muting themselves when not participating, to avoid disrupting the proceedings. A copy of the Court's order is available here. To assist members of the federal bar, the Atlanta Chapter will be hosting an online discussion with district court and magistrate judges from the Northern District of Georgia on best practices for virtual court appearances and mediations. The discussion will be held on Tuesday, May 12 from 2-3 p.m. ET.

Northern District of Georgia Issues General Order for Operations During Coronavirus Pandemic
24 Mar 2020

On March 16, 2020, Chief Judge Thomas Thrash issued a General Order regarding continued operations of the Northern District of Georgia during the Coronavirus pandemic. A copy of the General Order is attached.

Temporary Closure of Brunswick and Savannah Courthouses
03 Sep 2019

Chief United States District Judge J. Randal Hall has issued an order temporarily closing the Brunswick and Savannah courthouses due to anticipated inclement weather associated with Hurricane Dorian. The Brunswick courthouse is closed from September 3-6, 2019, and the Savannah courthouse is closed from September 3-5, 2019. A copy of the Court's order is attached.

Notice of Proposed Change to Middle District Local Rule 79.2
03 Sep 2019

The judges of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia are proposing an amendment to the court's local rules. The rule change will add the following language to Rule 79.2: "Before jury deliberations begin, counsel must ensure that electronic exhibits are identical to exhibits admitted at trial." The court is soliciting public comment on this proposed change and asks that all comments be sent to the office of the Clerk of Court at Post Office Box 128, Macon, Georgia 31202 or be emailed to the following email address: rulecomments@gamd.uscourts.gov. All comments must be received no later than close of business on October 4, 2019. Please see the courts public website, www.gamd.uscourts.gov for the full text of this rule.

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