COVID-19 Update from the Delaware District Court and the Bankruptcy Court

Submitted by UCS on March 16, 2020

The Courts are monitoring the outbreak of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Given the risk of transmission and the potentially serious consequences, the District Court and the Bankruptcy Court have implemented procedures to protect Court personnel and the public from the spread of this disease.

Court personnel have been asked to practice good cold and flu season hygiene and disinfectant products have been obtained and distributed. Court personnel have been strongly urged to stay at home if they are suffering from any cold or flu-like symptoms. The Courts are allowing employees to telework consistent with their policies.

The District Court and the Bankruptcy Court urge practitioners to adopt similar procedures and promptly to inform the respective Court if a practitioner who has appeared in court develops symptoms or tests positive for COVID-19, or if they believe that a scheduled trial or in-person hearing requires the presence of a person who has tested positive for COVID-19 or has been in contact in the past fourteen days with an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19. In addition, the District Court and the Bankruptcy Court will conduct conferences and hearings telephonically when it is practicable and efficient to do so and will promptly consider any request to change a conference or hearing from being held in-person to via telephone.

We hope that these procedures will allow us to protect the health and safety of our employees and the public while allowing us to continue to accomplish our mission to fairly administer justice.

Finally, the District Court and the Bankruptcy Court will consider implementing additional measures as circumstances warrant. The District Court and Bankruptcy Court will update the public as events develop and will give as much notice as possible if we must escalate our response.

Please check our websites regularly for any updates.
Leonard P. Stark Christopher S. Sontchi
Chief Judge United States District Court Chief Judge United States Bankruptcy for the District of Delaware Court for the District of Delaware