Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 27
FEATURE
HOW THE PANDEMIC
Has Transformed the Courts
By William Roberts
O
n a normal day, the District
of Columbia sees some
10,000 people come through
its courts. In mid-March,
the coronavirus pandemic
forced District courts to shutter.
What happened next was a mad
scramble to keep operations going
while the courts and the wider
legal community had to figure out
how to adjust.
"It has been almost a dizzying pace of adapting to this coronavirus
pandemic," says D.C. Court of Appeals Chief Judge Anna BlackburneRigsby. "It's required more of our judges, our court managers, and our
court staff than ever before."
As COVID-19 cases exploded in New York City and authorities were still
discounting the possibility of shelter-in-place orders, the virus began
moving down the East Coast. In the District, courthouse leaders had
been envisioning moderate restrictions, and then almost overnight, as
the horrendous death count from the virus began to rise, it became clear
the D.C. Courts would have to all but shut down completely.
"I can remember the day in March. It was Wednesday, March 11," recalls
Blackburne-Rigsby. "The reality of how we would have to grapple with
and change how we did things really hit us. But our resolve was clear that
the courts cannot close, that the judicial branch of our government is
vitally important, and it's especially important in times of crisis like this.
And so, closing the court or stopping justice and access to justice was
not an option."
Blackburne-Rigsby, who chairs the D.C. Courts' Joint Committee on
Judicial Administration, worked closely with D.C. Superior Court Chief
Judge Robert E. Morin and court managers on the response to the public
health crisis and forced shutdown. (Morin is retiring on September 30
and will be succeeded by Judge Anita Josey-Herring.)
The D.C. Courts quickly formed a coronavirus pandemic task force, and
Blackburne-Rigsby convened the courts' administrative committee to
pass an emergency order giving her and Chief Judge Morin the authority
to delay certain statutory deadlines. And then they had to think about
safety.
Almost everyone who works at the courts was sent home. Access
was sharply limited, and operations were reduced to four working courtrooms for nearly two months, although face-to-face business continued
in urgent matters. The appeals court continued deciding cases, issuing
opinions, and dealing with emergencies, including appeals in criminal
cases where defendants were seeking release from prison because of the
virus. But there were some things the court was not able to do in a safe
way, notably jury trials and the once prosaic daily "cattle calls" of litigants.
iStock
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020
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WASHINGTON LAWYER
27
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020
Digital Extras
Your Voice
From Our President
Practice Management
ABA Delegates Corner
Calendar of Events
Re-Envisioning the Bar Exam feature
The New Normal in Legal Education feature
On Shaky Ground feature
How the Pandemic Has Transformed Courts Feature
The Science of Why Clients Ignore Counsel's Advice feature
Taking the Stand
On Further Review
The Learning Curve
Member Spotlight - Susan Biniaz
Member Spotlight - Whit Washington
Worth Reading
Attorney Briefs
Disciplinary Summaries
Speaking of Ethics
Pro Bono Effect
A Slice of Wry
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - Cover1
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - Cover2
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 1
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 2
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 3
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - Digital Extras
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - Your Voice
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - From Our President
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 7
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - Practice Management
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 9
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - ABA Delegates Corner
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - Calendar of Events
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - Re-Envisioning the Bar Exam feature
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 13
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 14
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 15
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 16
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 17
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - The New Normal in Legal Education feature
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 19
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 20
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 21
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - On Shaky Ground feature
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 23
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 24
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 25
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - How the Pandemic Has Transformed Courts Feature
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 27
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 28
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 29
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 30
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 31
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - The Science of Why Clients Ignore Counsel's Advice feature
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 33
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 34
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 35
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 36
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 37
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - Taking the Stand
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 39
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - On Further Review
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 41
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - The Learning Curve
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 43
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - Member Spotlight - Susan Biniaz
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 45
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - Member Spotlight - Whit Washington
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 47
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - Worth Reading
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 49
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 50
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - Disciplinary Summaries
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - Speaking of Ethics
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 53
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - Pro Bono Effect
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 55
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - A Slice of Wry
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - Cover3
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - Cover4
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