Under General Order 22-006, the United States District Court for the District of Utah adopted the CDC’s three-tier community risk model at the Orrin G. Hatch Courthouse. Currently, Salt Lake County is designated in the Medium/Yellow category of risk. With this designation, masks are optional and may be worn in public spaces inside the Orrin G. Hatch Courthouse. 

Subject to the capacity of the Jury Administrator’s Office and consistent with General Order 22-010, judges may schedule jury trials as their calendars permit. Criminal cases will receive priority. Jurors will be offered court-provided masks but will not be required to wear a mask, unless a judge requires it. Juries will deliberate in a large room at the Orrin G. Hatch Courthouse to accommodate social distancing. Public events, including Naturalization Ceremonies, have restrictions placed on the number of attendees.  

As the resident United States District Judge in the Southern Region, Judge David Nuffer is granted emergency authority to promulgate rules and procedures for Southern Region proceedings consistent with State of Utah and Washington County directives and COVID-19 conditions within the Southern Region.

For additional information about court operations during the pandemic, please visit the court’s COVID-19 Information Center.