People sometimes ask how work as an expert witness (mostly in software patent cases, but also in some aviation matters) is going during the coronashutdown. I tell them that things are slow and deadlines are typically pushed back by six months because most courts have shut down except for emergencies, though sometimes hearings will be held via Zoom. “The Chinese must be laughing their asses off when they see how Americans spend their time,” was one response to this news.
Related:
- court-by-court summary from Paul Hastings
- “Many Asylum Seekers in Mexico Can’t Get U.S. Court Hearings Until 2021” (TIME): “Due to COVID-19, MPP hearings have been suspended until at least June 8, which has caused a further backlog in court proceedings.”
Wow. Jury trials in MA continued through September. Justice Swift and Justice Sure have left the building.
Naturalization ceremonies are also suspended: “Per General Order 20-18, all naturalization ceremonies scheduled for May and June 2020 are suspended. The temporary suspension of naturalization ceremonies will not divest the Court of its exclusive authority to administer the oath of allegiance to persons seeking to become citizens in this District.” So how do they administer the Oath? Via Zoom?
A lot of the guidelines say things like:
“The court is restricting access and prohibiting anyone who has visited high-risk countries within the past two weeks, has had contact with someone who has been in those countries,”
Isn’t America considered to be a “high risk country” at this point?
Alex, the present status of the USA takes a little getting used to. Not just pandemic, but lots of metrics. As the One I Will Not Name says, “SAD!”.