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Tropical Storm Isaac Closes Courthouses in the Gulf Region

Image courtesy: NOAA

Image courtesy: NOAA

UPDATED: August 30, 2012 at 12:00 p.m.

In New Orleans, all offices of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals  closed on Tuesday , August 28, and are expected to reopen on Friday, August 31, 2012.

The U.S. District Court as well as the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana will be closed Tuesday through Thursday, August 28 - August 30, due to the storm. The District and Bankruptcy Courts will reopen Friday morning, August 31, 2012.  

The U.S. District Court and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Louisiana closed Monday afternoon, August 27, and are scheduled to reopen Friday morning, August 31, 2012.

In the Southern District of Mississippi, the Gulfport, Hattiesburg and Natchez divisions remain closed on Thursday, August 30.  It is anticipated that these court offices will reopen on Friday, August 31, 2012.

In the Southern District of Alabama, the federal courthouse was closed Wednesday, August 29, 2012, due to the effects from Tropical Storm Isaac. Normal operations will resume on Thursday, August 30, 2012.

In the Northern District of Florida, the Pensacola divisional courthouses closed on Tuesday, August 28th and Wednesday, August 29th 2012, due to Tropical Storm Isaac. The courthouses are expected to reopen on Thursday, August 30, 2012.

On Monday, as Tropical Storm Isaac made its way west across Florida and into the Gulf of Mexico, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida closed federal courthouses in Key West, Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach for Monday, August 27, citing concerns for the safety of jurors, the public and Court personnel. Those courthouses reopened on Wednesday, August 29.

In the Middle District of Florida, the Fort Myers division closed Monday due to Tropical Storm Isaac. The Fort Myers Division has reopened.

Earlier, it had been announced that no court proceedings will be held in the district's Tampa courthouse during the week of the Republican National Convention. An Administrative Order has been entered designating the Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. and Magistrate Judge David A. Baker, both resident in the Orlando Division of the court, as the district and magistrate judges responsible for any Tampa matters arising from August 25 through September 1, 2012.

 Check the courts' websites for updates on re-openings.

Related Topics: Appellate Courts, Bankruptcy Courts, District Courts, Emergency Preparedness