Skip to content
The COVID Project
  1. Library
  2. State courts
  3. AGY-ST-COURTS-047

Ex. AGY-ST-COURTS-047 Order Primary source read

Administrative Order No. 5: Use of Face Masks/Coverings in Court Facilities

Face coverings required for court staff, lawyers, litigants, jurors, contractors, vendors and all visitors in common and public areas of court facilities where six feet cannot be maintained

Chief Justice Collins J. Seitz, Jr., Supreme Court of Delaware · Supreme Court of the State of Delaware (statewide) (Court)

The COVID Project

The record

Jurisdiction
Supreme Court of the State of Delaware (statewide) · Delaware
Level
Court
Authority
Del. Const. art. IV, § 13; 10 Del. C. §§ 2004(a), 2009; Governor's Thirteenth Modification of the State of Emergency (Apr. 25, 2020) (recited)
Issued
2020-04-30 Apr. 30, 2020
Effective
2020-04-30
End
'until amended or vacated'; superseded by AO No. 20 (May 20, 2021) and lifted for vaccinated persons July 1, 2021; universal masking reimposed Aug. 16, 2021 (Ex. AGY-ST-COURTS-062) (read as 2021-05-20)
In force
Apr. 30, 2020 to May 20, 2021
Quarters
2020 Q22020 Q32020 Q42021 Q12021 Q2
Limitation types
Face-covering requirementCourts and public offices
Addressees
  • court staff
  • lawyers, litigants, jurors, contractors, vendors and visitors to any court facility
Functions reached
  • CT courts and agencies
  • WF workforce (court staff, contractors, vendors)
Collection
State courts AGY-ST-COURTS

Operative words

1. Court staff should wear a mask or face covering when interacting with the public and when in the common or public areas of court facilities if staff cannot maintain a 6-foot separation from other individuals.... 2. The provisions of paragraph 1 also apply to lawyers, litigants, jurors, contractors, vendors, and any other visitors to any court facility. 3. This Order shall remain in effect until amended or vacated.

Enforcement

10 Del. C. § 2009 ('such other actions as the Chief Justice reasonably believes are necessary')

Notes

Recites that 'the Delaware courts remain open with limited staff during this State of Emergency, although the courts' facilities (with the exception of 24-hour court operations at Justice of the Peace Court 11, Court 7, and Court 3) are closed to the general public'.