Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates
Last Updated 3/23//2020
In consideration and anticipation of the serious health crisis facing the nation and the State of Florida from COVID-19 and in an effort to maintain the orderly administration of justice, the Court finds it necessary and in the interest of public safety and justice to take proactive measures to slow the spread of the virus and protect the health and safety of litigants, counsel, Court staff, grand jurors, petit jurors, witnesses, and the public.
A complete list of the measures taken can be found in the Administrative Order issued on March 23rd, 2020. Announcements regarding COVID-19 can be found below.
Public Notice - Courthouses Closed to the Public
Per Administrative Order of March 23rd, 2020, all Court locations in the Northern District of Florida remain closed to the public, with the exception of those who are required to attend Court hearings, trials, or other matters before the Court requiring in-person attendance. Staff in the Clerk’s Office are directed to telework and are available by telephone or email, but the public intake counter will not be accessible to the public. Those without access to the Court’s electronic filing system must submit non-emergency filings by mail. If an individual needs to file an emergency filing in paper, filers must contact the Clerk’s Office to notify the Court and make arrangements to submit the filing.
Until further notice, all initial appearances, detention hearings, and arraignments in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida will be conducted via video teleconferencing. In-person haring, when possible, have been converted to telephonic or video conference hearings.
Jury Trials
Jury trials and grand jury proceedings have been cancelled for the month of March.
Courthouse Contact Information
Per Administrative Order, all Court locations in the Northern District of Florida are closed to the public. Use the links below to find contact information for District Court, Bankruptcy Court, Probation, and other agencies in each courthouse location.
- Gainesville Contact Information
- Panama City Contact Information
- Pensacola Contact Information
- Tallahassee Contact Information
Civil Violations Bureau (CVB) Initial Appearances Rescheduled
Per Administrative Order of March 16th, 2020, CVB initial appearances scheduled for March, April, and May have been rescheduled for June 17th, 2020. Read the full administrative order for more details.
Naturalization Ceremonies Cancelled
All naturalization ceremonies scheduled for March and April have been cancelled. Additional information for petitioners will be posted as soon as it is available. Questions regarding naturalization should be directed to USCIS at 800-375-5283.
