Federal appeals courts across the country are revising procedures for in-person oral arguments and courthouse access, with a flurry of announcements this week detailing new vaccination, testing and mask requirements as the Covid-19 Delta variant spreads.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit is suspending upcoming in-person oral arguments in September and will instead proceed remotely, according to an announcement from the court made Thursday.
The court planned to hold oral arguments from Sept. 17 to Sept. 24 in person, but next month's arguments will now take place using Zoom.gov. The audio will be livestreamed.
The Fourth Circuit's announcement comes as appeals courts across the country handle their own reopening plans and as coronavirus cases in some areas spike due in part to the increased spread of the delta variant.
The Eleventh Circuit also updated its guidelines Wednesday. Effective Aug. 16, all court staff, on-site contractors and visitors must verify their vaccination status before entering the court facilities. Those who aren't vaccinated must wear a mask and socially distance.
Meanwhile, the Tenth Circuit on Thursday announced that public access to the Denver-based court house is now limited to vaccinated individuals. "Unvaccinated attorneys scheduled to present oral argument must file a motion for leave to appear via video no later than 30 days before the scheduled argument," the order reads.