IN RE: GENERAL ORDERS RE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Filing 20

AMENDED GENERAL ORDER 2020-13 Re: Entrance Protocols By JUDGE JON D. LEVY. (ckb)

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United States District Court
District of Maine
In Re:
COURT OPERATIONS UNDER
THE EXIGENT CIRCUMSTANCES
CREATED BY THE COVID-19
CORONAVIRUS & RELATED
PANDEMIC PRECAUTIONS:
COURTHOUSE ENTRANCE
PROTOCOLS

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GENERAL ORDER 2020-13
[Amended, November 3, 2020]

GENERAL ORDER RE: ENTRANCE PROTOCOLS
In the interest of public health and safety, and after the consideration of
the public health guidelines regarding COVID-19 issued by the U.S. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention and the State of Maine, the following protocols
apply to all persons, other than court employees, entering the Edward T. Gignoux
Courthouse in Portland, the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Offices in
Bangor and Portland, the United States Bankruptcy Court in Portland, and the
U.S. District Court or the U.S. Bankruptcy Court located on the third floor of the
Margaret Chase Smith Federal Building in Bangor.
Entrance Protocols
Every person must comply with the requirements established in this Order.
Persons who will not or cannot comply with these protocols will be directed to call
or speak with one of the points of contact identified in this Order.
1.

You may be asked to answer questions related to the health guidelines
in this Order.

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2.

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You may not enter if you:
 Are unwilling to comply with the protocols or to participate in any
screening questions outlined in this Order.
 Have been advised to self-quarantine by any doctor, hospital, or health
agency within the last 14 days.
 Have been diagnosed with COVID-19 or have been told to presume that
you have COVID-19 by a health professional within the last 14 days.
 Have had contact in the last 14 days with someone who has been
diagnosed with COVID-19 or have been told that they have to presume
they have COVID-19 by a health professional, unless the diagnosis was
more than 14 days ago, and they have been symptom-free for the past
72 hours.
 Have a temperature of 100.4 or higher.
 Have had a cough, shortness of breath, fever, chills, muscle pain,
headache, sore throat, loss of taste or smell, sinus congestion, or
extreme fatigue within the last 14 days, unless the symptoms are
attributable to another known condition.
 Reside with someone who has had a cough, shortness of breath, fever,
chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, loss of taste or smell, sinus
congestion, or extreme fatigue within the last 14 days, unless the
symptoms are attributable to another known condition.

3.

If you have entered Maine from another State within the past 14 days:
a. Pursuant to Governor Janet T. Mill’s Keep Maine Healthy Plan, many outof-state travelers coming into Maine, and Maine residents returning to Maine,
must either quarantine for 14 days or receive a negative COVID-19 test with a
sample taken before their arrival in Maine and quarantine while awaiting
their test results.
b. The requirements of the Keep Maine Healthy Plan are available on-line at:
https://www.maine.gov/covid19/restartingmaine/keepmainehealthy.
c. If you are a Maine resident, or a visitor from another state, and traveled to
or from a state or area not exempted from Maine’s quarantine/negative test
requirements, you may not enter the Court’s facilities unless you:
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i. Have received a recent negative test for COVID-19 in accordance with the
standards established by the Keep Maine Healthy Plan; or
ii. Have quarantined in accordance with standards established by the Keep
Maine Healthy Plan; or
iii. Your entrance is related to your role in an in-court hearing, grand jury
proceeding, or jury trial and has been pre-approved by the presiding judge
(based on guidance from the CDC, the Maine CDC, and/or other authorities);
or
iv. Your entrance has been pre-approved by the administrative head of the court
unit or security agency you are visiting (based on guidance from the CDC,
the Maine CDC, and/or other authorities).
4.

Masks: You must wear a mask or face covering pursuant to General Order
2020-7. If you arrive without a mask, one will be provided to you. 1 You must wear your

mask at all times unless otherwise directed by a Judge.

5.

Hand Sanitizer: You must apply hand sanitizer upon entering the court’s
facilities. Hand sanitizer will be available at all courthouse entrances.

6.

Social Distance: You must maintain at least six feet of distance between you
and other persons at all times, unless otherwise directed by a Judge. Minor
children may accompany adults and will not be expected to stay apart.

7.

Cell Phones and Laptops: Unless you are a (1) member of the Court’s bar, (2)
law enforcement officer, (3) credentialed press person, or (4) U.S. Attorney’s
Office Victim Witness Coordinator, cell phones and laptops may not be brought
into the courthouse without the prior permission of the Court. Permission may
be requested by contacting the Clerk’s office. If you arrive with a cell phone
and cannot store it outside the courthouse, you will be required to label your
phone with your name and phone number, and then place it in a clear plastic
bag for storage. The phone will be deposited in a dedicated bin and will be
made available to you when you exit the Courthouse.

8.

Food and Drink: Food and drinks may not be brought into the
Courthouse without prior approval of the Court.

9.

If You Need Assistance: If you are scheduled or required to appear and you
are unable to appear because of the restrictions in this Order, you are directed
to contact the appropriate person(s) listed in the Points of Contact on page four
of this Order.

1 Face shields will be provided for those who cannot wear a mask. A Court Security Officer will contact
the Clerk’s Office if a shield is requested by a visitor.

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Effectiveness: This General Order takes effect at 11:59 p.m. on November 3, 2020,
and shall remain in effect until superseded by a future Order of the Court.
SO ORDERED.
Dated: November 3, 2020
/s/ Jon D. Levy
CHIEF U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE
Points of Contact
• If you are represented by the Federal Public Defender:
 Portland: [phone]
 Bangor: [phone]
• If you are represented by an attorney, contact your attorney.
• Anyone having business with the U.S. Attorney’s Office:
 Portland: [phone]
 Bangor: [phone]
• Anyone having business with the U.S. Marshals Service:
 Portland: [phone]
 Bangor: [phone]
• If you are scheduled to meet with a U.S. Probation or Pretrial Services
Officer:
 Portland: [phone]
 Bangor: [phone]
•

If you are a juror, or if you have any other business with the District Court, an
attorney, or a pro se party, please contact the Clerk’s Office:
 Proceedings in Portland: [phone]
 Proceedings in Bangor: [phone]

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If you have business with the United States Bankruptcy Court, contact the
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Clerk’s Office:
 Portland: [phone]
 Bangor: [phone]
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Note Regarding September 30, 2020, Amendment:
General Order 2020-13 was amended effective September 30, 2020, to clarify that the
exemption addressed in Section 3.c. relates to all states identified in the most current
listing of https://www.maine.gov/covid19/restartingmaine/keepmainehealthy/faqs.
Note Regarding November 3, 2020, Amendment:
General Order 2020-13 was amended effective November 3, 2020, to clarify that
requirements associated with persons appearing at Court within 14 days of having
entered Maine from another state are those set forth in the then-current version of
the Keep Maine Healthy Plan.

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