Federal courthouses in eastern Michigan reopening Tuesday
DETROIT (AP) — Five federal courthouses in eastern Michigan will fully reopen Tuesday for the first time since COVID-19 restrictions were put in place in March 2020.
Lawyers, news reporters, jurors and court spectators will be required to answer questions about their health and have their temperature checked at courthouse entrances. Masks will be required.
Courthouse employees who have not been vaccinated will be required to share the results of two weekly COVID-19 tests at their own expense.
“The court is doing everything in its power to make sure that everyone who uses our facilities are protected,” said Chief U.S. District Judge Denise Page Hood. “The court will monitor developments, the number of people coming and going in our courthouses and adjust safety measures accordingly.”
The main courthouse is in downtown Detroit, but there are other federal courthouses in Flint, Bay City, Ann Arbor and Port Huron.
Remote video access will be provided for some hearings in civil lawsuits. But nearly all criminal cases will be conducted in person at the courthouses.