The Impact Of Covid-19 On U.S. Litigation

The Covid-19 pandemic has severely impacted courtroom procedures and the conduct of litigation around the world. Due to the decentralized organization of the United States' judiciary, each state and federal court in the U.S. has adjusted in various ways, including by closing courthouses or restricting their access to essential personnel, rescheduling hearings, allowing remote appearances before the judge, etc.

The U.S. Supreme Court

On 16 March 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court reported that all oral arguments scheduled during the month of March would be postponed until further notice¹. Such postponement is not unprecedented; similar measures were indeed taken by the U.S. Supreme Court during the Spanish flu epidemic in 1918.