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Chief U.S. judge orders new restrictions on all federal prisoners in light of COVID-19

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Chief U.S. judge orders new restrictions on all federal prisoners in light of COVID-19

No federal prisoners will be admitted to any U.S. courthouse in Western Pennsylvania if they have a temperature of 100.4 or above or they show any signs of being sick, the chief federal judge ordered Monday.

Judge Mark Hornak, who last week had imposed restrictions on visitors and employees, issued the new rules for detainees held at local facilities who are routinely transported to federal court for hearings by the U.S. marshals.

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Most of those hearings are now being done by video, but not all.

Allegheny County courts adjust operations with amended emergency declaration
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Allegheny County courts adjust operations with amended emergency declaration

So for those that require a prisoner to be in court, the judge ordered that any detention center or jail must take the prisoner's temperature immediately before the person is to be transported by the marshals.

The judge ordered that jails must also decline to transport any prisoners with COVID-19, those who have been exposed to someone with the virus, those with flu-like symptoms, those who have been in quarantine at a jail, and those who have traveled outside the U.S. in the prior 14 days.

The judge said U.S. marshals must also apply the COVID-19 screening process used for visitors to anyone arrested and brought directly to the federal courthouse off the street.

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In addition, he ordered that jails notify the marshals of any federal detainee who is in quarantine for any reason as soon as the prisoner goes into quarantine.

The judge ordered the marshals to notify all the jails where federal prisoners are held of the new rules for courthouse entry, which apply to the courthouses in Pittsburgh, Erie and Johnstown.

While Common Pleas courts have been shut down, the federal court system remains open and operating with skeleton crews. Many court employees here and across the country are working from home as are most federal prosecutors and public defenders.

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First Published: March 23, 2020, 7:51 p.m.

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