United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Florida

COVID-19 Court Operations Update

Thursday, March 12, 2020

The United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Florida continues to monitor the national response to the respiratory illness caused by the novel Coronavirus Disease known as COVID-

19. At this time, physical access to all courthouses within the Northern District of Florida is limited as

follows:

If you have traveled to Italy, Iran, South Korea, or China within the last 14 days, resided or had close contact with someone who has traveled to these countries within the last 14 days, been directed by a hospital or health agency to self-quarantine, or been diagnosed with, or have had contact with, anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19, you are required to inform Court Security before entering the screening area.

Individuals denied entry into a courthouse will be given contact phone numbers and instructions pertaining to the appropriate court unit or federal agency. If you are represented by counsel, please contact your attorney. If you have questions about your attendance at a Section 341 meeting of creditors, please contact the trustee assigned to your case. For matters pertaining to the U.S. Trustee’s Office, please call 850-942-1660. For Bankruptcy Clerk’s Office assistance, including hearing attendance inquiries by attorneys and self-represented parties, please call 866-639-4615.

The Court will continue to adjust operations as needed in response to future Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or Administrative Office of the United States Courts (AO) COVID-19 Task Force recommendations. Members of the public are encouraged to follow all guidance from the CDC, including staying home if you are ill, maintaining a social distance of approximately six feet, and refraining from engaging in direct physical contact. To that end, attorneys are encouraged to appear by telephone when appropriate. If needed, to protect the health of our parties and attorneys while keeping our court safe

and operational, the Court may move to exclusive telephonic and video hearings.