The Court hereby vacates COVID-19 General Order 21-15, dated October 22, 2021, requiring all individuals to provide proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours before entry into the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. This order is directed to visitors of the courthouse and non-employees. Each agency shall make its own decision regarding vaccination policies for its employees. Visitors should contact individual judges and/or agencies about their specific COVID-19 policies for entry into those specific premises.
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News & Announcements
Check this page, or the News and Announcements box on the homepage, for the latest official news and announcements released by the court. You can also access archived news and announcements from this page.
March 14, 2022
On February 18, 2022, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana hosted an African American History Month Celebration entitled, “The Community and Legal Battles of the Civil Rights Movement.” The well-attended event was moderated by the Honorable Nannette Jolivette Brown, Chief Judge for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Featured speakers were David Dennis, Sr., a Freedom Rider, Freedom Summer of ’64 Organizer, civil rights attorney, and co-author of The Movement Made Us; and his son, David Dennis, Jr., an award-winning journalist and co-author of The Movement Made Us. Mr. Dennis, Sr., recounted his experiences as an activist on the front lines of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, and both he and his son gave heartfelt accounts of what it was like to write The Movement Made Us together. All in attendance gained a better understanding of the personal sacrifices and traumas of those serving in the movement, and how the movement serves as an inspiration for today’s change-makers. To view a recording of the event, please select this link.
March 12, 2022
The CM/ECF e-filing system's technical issue which occurred on Friday, March 11, 2022 has been resolved and the CM/ECF e-filing system is available for filing. If your document was not filed timely due to the temporary unavailability of CM/ECF's e-filing system, you may need to file a motion seeking appropriate relief.
March 11, 2022
The Court hereby vacates COVID-19 General Order 21-10, dated July 29, 2021, requiring all individuals to wear a mask or face covering over their nose and mouth to enter the Hale Boggs Federal Building or Courthouse unless they present medical documentation stating that they are unable to wear a mask for health reasons.
The Court further amends COVID-19 General Order 21-15, dated October 22, 2021, and Amended COVID-19 General Order 20-01, dated September 28, 2020, to the extent they mandate the wearing of masks while in the Courthouse or Hale Boggs Federal Building.
Accordingly, based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, masks are no longer required to enter, or while inside, the U.S. Courthouse for the Eastern District of Louisiana or the Hale Boggs Federal Building. When appearing in court, visiting any judge’s chambers, or visiting a particular agency, check in advance regarding the judge’s or agency’s individual preference regarding masks. This order is directed to visitors of the courthouse and non-employees. Each agency shall make its own decision regarding mask mandates for its employees.
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March 11, 2022
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana presents a Women’s History Month Celebration entitled, “Creating Herstory,” Wednesday, March 23, 2022, 12:00-1:00 pm, in-person (Courtroom 227) and via Zoom webinar, 1 hour of professionalism CLE credit, no charge, lunch provided to in-person attendees. Please register by emailing LAED_RSVP@laed.uscourts.gov.
February 28, 2022
IT IS ORDERED that effective March 1, 2022, the Local Civil Rules, Local Admiralty Rules, Local Criminal Rules, Local Rules for Lawyer Disciplinary Enforcement, and Local Rules for Disability Inactive Status of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana are amended as noted in detail in the attached order.
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February 24, 2022
The Chief Judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana has issued COVID-19 General Order No. 22-1, extending COVID-19 General Order No. 21-16, COVID-19 General Order No. 21-13, COVID-19 General Order No. 21-7, COVID-19 General Order No. 21-3, COVID-19 General Order No. 20-14, COVID-19 General Order No. 20-11, COVID-19 General Order No. 20-8, and COVID-19 General Order No. 20-4 (attached as Exhibit A to this Order and incorporated herein by reference) for an additional ninety days or until May 25, 2022.
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February 2, 2022
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana presents an African American History Month Celebration entitled, “The Community & Legal Battles of the Civil Rights Movement,” Friday, February 18, 2022, 12:00-1:00 pm, in-person (Courtroom 501) and via Zoom Webinar, no charge, 1-hour CLE credit, lunch provided to in-person attendees.
Please pre-register by emailing LAED_RSVP@laed.uscourts.gov.
February 2, 2022
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana would like to announce that funeral services have been confirmed for the Honorable Martin L.C. Feldman as follows:
The services will be held on Tuesday, February 15th at:
St. Stephen’s Church
1025 Napoleon Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70115
Visitation will be from 9:00 am to noon, with a mass to follow at 12:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Louisiana SPCA.
U.S. District Judge, 1983-2022
January 27, 2022
IN MEMORIAM
Honorable Martin L.C. Feldman
Jan. 28, 1934 - Jan. 26, 2022
U.S. District Judge
1983 - 2022
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana mourns the loss of its beloved judge, the Honorable Judge Martin L.C. Feldman. He passed away last night of natural causes. He was to turn 88 tomorrow.
Nominated by Ronald Reagan on September 9, 1983, confirmed by the Senate on October 4, 1983, and received his commission on October 5, 1983, Judge Feldman was the second longest serving active federal district court judge in the country.
In addition to serving as a federal district court judge, he was designated by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts to serve as one of eleven federal district court judges on the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, from May 19, 2010 – May 18, 2017.
After graduating from Tulane University in 1955, he served our country as U.S. Army Reserve Captain, JAG Court, from 1957 – 1963. He then attended Tulane Law School, and upon graduation he served as law clerk to the judicial icon, the Honorable John Minor Wisdom, United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
“Judge Feldman has had a long, distinguished and honorable career as a lawyer and as a jurist,” said U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana Chief Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown. “He willingly shared his knowledge and experience mentoring every new district judge appointed to this court. Sitting alongside him on the bench, while he was training you was a rite of passage for new judges,” she added. “Once you earned his love and respect, he always supported you and was there for you,” she continued. “He will be so deeply and sorely missed. However, he leaves a long legacy of accomplishments and friendships,” she concluded.
The flag flying over the federal district courthouse has been lowered to half-mast today and through tomorrow, in honor of Judge Feldman. Memorial and funeral arrangements are still pending.
* Our dear friend Judge Feldman is laughing in heaven at the earlier typo of "funeral arraignments."