New Jersey Federal Courts Requiring COVID-19 Vaccine or Negative Tests

New Jersey Federal Courts Requiring COVID-19 Vaccine or Negative Tests

COVID-19 vaccine mandates are becoming increasingly prevalent in light of the Delta variant. On September 14, 2021, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey announced that all visitors must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test. Federal courts in California, New York, Texas, and Maryland have also adopted vaccine policies.

COVID-19 Requirements for New Jersey Federal Courts

The New Jersey District Court had previously established a policy mandating that all employees of the U.S. District Court, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Probation, and Pretrial Services, in the District of New Jersey (“court employees”), be fully vaccinated by October 19, 2021. Under standing order 2021-08, visitors will also be subject to new vaccine/testing requirements.

Effective September 20, 2021, visitors will be granted entry into Court facilities only upon providing proof that they have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Acceptable proof of vaccination consists of that person’s vaccination card or a recognized application, such as the Docket mobile phone application record or any similar State-specific application that produces a digital health record, accompanied by proof of identification.

Visitors who fail to provide proof of full vaccination, including those who decline to disclose their vaccination status, will be granted entry only upon presenting proof of a negative result from a PCR test (not a rapid test) taken no more than 72 hours prior to seeking entry, and proof of identification.

The new requirements are applicable to all persons other than Court employees (“visitors”), seeking entry into any U.S. Courthouse or any site of a Probation or Pretrial Services Office, in the District of New Jersey, including: attorneys; criminal defendants, federal detainees; government agents; investigators; employees of counsel; parties or party representatives in civil matters; witnesses; employees of state and federal law enforcement agencies, including Deputy U.S. Marshals and Court Security Officers; members of the press; observers of court proceedings; contractors; and vendors. The following visitors are exempt: petit and grand jurors; individuals younger than 12 years of age; and persons who will be onsite in Court facilities for less than 15 minutes.

All other health and safety remain in place. Notably, masks are still required of all entrants to and occupants of Court facilities, regardless of vaccination status, in all public areas of Court facilities.

COVID-19 Requirements New Jersey State Courts

The New Jersey Judiciary is requiring all staff and state court judges to either provide proof that they have been vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit results of a weekly COVID-19 test. The policy is consistent with Governor Phil Murphy’s mandate that all state employees, including those at state agencies, authorities, public colleges, and universities, be fully vaccinated by October 18, 2021, or submit to regular COVID-19 testing.

At this time, visitors to New Jersey state courts are not required to show proof of vaccination. Masks, however, are required in all courthouses regardless of vaccination status.

If you have questions, please contact us

If you have any questions or if you would like to discuss the matter further, please contact me, Jessica C. Pooran, or the Scarinci Hollenbeck attorney with whom you work, at 201-896-4100.