COVID-19 Important Information-September 22, 2022 Update

September 22, 2022
In response to updated CDC guidance, the Eastern District of Virginia District Court has modified the entry rules for its courthouses and facilities such that members of the public will no longer be required to quarantine following a COVID-19 exposure.

For more detailed information, please see General Order 2022-04 In re: UPDATED ENTRY POLICY

Effective Tuesday, July 5, 2022, the Court has implemented an updated Mask Policy. The policy is Division-specific and continues its Division-by-Division approach. The Court’s masking rules are being more closely tied to the CDC’s Community Level metric that is specific to each city where an Eastern District of Virginia Courthouse is located. In this regard, if the relevant city (Alexandria, Richmond, Newport News, or Norfolk) is in the CDC’s “high” category, masks will be required. If it is in the “medium” or “low” category, masks will be optional. To facilitate your viewing of this policy’s application, please make use of the CDC’s COVID Data Tracker website before arriving at a Courthouse. Otherwise, you will see the applicable notice posted at Courthouse doors district-wide. One version of the notice will advise that the wearing of masks is required to enter the courthouse while the other version of the notice will advise that doing so is optional. Please be mindful that these notices could change depending on the above-noted CDC criteria. The District’s updated Mask Policy also has been posted on the Court’s public-facing website. As Monday, July 4, 2022, is a federal holiday in observance of Independence Day, the updated masking policy for that week takes effect on July 5^th. Based on information reviewed, yesterday, on the above-linked CDC website, the Alexandria, Newport News, and Norfolk Divisions each will have an “Optional” mask policy. Because the City of Richmond currently is in the CDC’s “high” Community Level category, the use of masks remains required in the Richmond Division.

All individuals, regardless of vaccination status, are required to wear a well-fitting respirator (N-95, KN-95, etc.) or a surgical/procedure mask that covers their nose and mouth continuously in all indoor public areas unless it is medically unsafe for them to do so and they obtain permission from the Chief Judge or Senior Active Judge. For individuals that do not have a well-fitting respirator or surgical/procedure mask, one will be provided at all Courthouses and Court facilities requiring masks and one will be available at locations where masks are strongly encouraged.

Standing Order 22-7: Update to COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Policies for Court Employees and Contractors and for Admitted Counsel and their Employees or Contractors

Standing Order 22-5 and General Order No. 2022-02: Consistent with the entry of General Order No. 2022-02 by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, the Bankruptcy Court has entered Standing Order 22-5 for the Martin V.B. Bostetter, Jr. U.S. Courthouse, which conforms to General Order No. 2022-02 as to the four other Eastern District of Virginia courthouses. These actions are in response to the CDC’s updated guidance defining COVID-19 Community Levels and the CDC’s associated recommendations for preventative measures. Both courts have SUSPENDED their mask and distancing requirements and modified their COVID-19 vaccination and testing policies and Courthouse entry requirements. Presiding judges may still require masks or distancing in their courtrooms.

Face Covering and Social Distancing Policy for all Courthouses (Updated June 3, 2022)

Standing Order 22-2: Standing Order 22-1: Consistent with the entry of General Order No. 2022-01 by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, the EDVA Bankruptcy Court entered Standing Order 22-1, Updated COVID-19 Requirements for the Martin V.B. Bostetter, Jr., U.S. Courthouse, at Alexandria, Virginia. This is in response to the increasing community spread of the Omicron COVID-19 variant, and recent CDC and Virginia Department of Health updates to guidance regarding quarantine and isolation. Between them, these orders adopt updated public entry requirements for our Courthouses and Court facilities. These orders provide more detailed information regarding those updated requirements.

Face Covering and Social Distancing Policy for all Courthouses (Updated December 30, 2021)

Temporary Emergency Provisions Regarding ZoomGov Remote Proceeding Access Information (Click Here)

Standing Order 21-11, following a temporary period of district-wide suspension June 14-18, 2021, inclusive, at the direction of the Court, is reinstated effective on and after June 19, 2021. That Order, which is applicable district-wide, establishes a modified temporary protocol for filings by unrepresented (pro se) persons who should read the Order prior to filing voluntary petitions and other documents with the Court (June 18, 2021, Update).

Pursuant to Standing Order 21-10, effective Monday, June 14, 2021, the Bankruptcy Clerk’s Office public areas are reopening at each courthouse location.

United States Trustee Program Notice to Chapter 7 and 13 Trustees Regarding Recovery Rebates Paid to Consumer Bankruptcy Debtors under the CARES Act of 2020

Please read the following notice issued by the United States Trustee Program regarding recovery rebates under the CARES Act of 2020

The Acting United States Trustee for Region 4 has requested that the following information regarding the conduct of telephonic Section 341(a) creditors’ meetings in the Eastern District of Virginia be provided, which will begin April 13, 2020. The United States Trustee’s Office has prepared a protocol document titled, Eastern District of Virginia — Meetings of Creditors Pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 341(a) During the National COVID – 19 Emergency. That document, combined with panel and standing trustee teleconference call-in line and access code information respectively for the Alexandria, Norfolk-Newport News, and Richmond divisions of the Court, is accessible here. Questions regarding the combined protocol document should be addressed to the appropriate Eastern District of Virginia assistant United States trustee. Via the Judiciary’s Bankruptcy Noticing Center, the Clerk’s Office is in the process of issuing one-time substitute § 341(a) creditors’ meeting notices of telephonic meetings in existing cases and using the appropriate updated version of Form OF 309 in new cases. Both types of notices include information needed by notice recipients to participate telephonically in scheduled § 341(a) creditors’ meetings, pursuant to the U.S. Trustee Office’s combined protocol document. The noticing procedures being implemented have been adopted by the Court through the entry of Standing Order No. 20-14 and its accompanying Exhibit A.

Temporary Emergency Provisions Regarding ZoomGov Remote Proceeding Access Information (Click Here)

Filing Without An Attorney

Emergency Usage Forms
Filing by Mail and Package Delivery Service
Bankruptcy Court Drop Box Usage Instructions

Temporary Court Protocols in Response to COVID-19 National Pandemic

Notice to Public Access Terminal Users

COVID-19 Mortgage Assistance Information

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Internet Public Health Resources

Filing Without An Attorney (Pro Se)

Click here for information regarding how to file without an attorney (i.e., pro se). For “individual” pro se debtors, the linked page provides useful information. The first two forms linked, below, under Emergency Usage Forms, can be used by individual pro se debtors when filing Official Forms 101 and 121.

Emergency Usage Forms

For Courthouse Drop Box and Mailed-in Usage Only by Individual Pro se Debtors:

Official Form 101—Voluntary Petition for Individuals Filings for Bankruptcy

Official Form 121–Statement About Your Social Security Number (for use by Individual Debtors Only)

2090edva.pdf —Certification Under Local Bankruptcy Rule 2090-1

Filing by Mail or Package Delivery Service

Filing by mail should be to the Court’s mailing address as set forth in the appropriate divisional (Alexandria, Norfolk, Richmond, Newport News*) page icon located on the Court’s internet web site Home Page. [*The mailing address for the Newport News Division is the mailing address for the Norfolk Division.]

Bankruptcy Court Drop Box Usage Procedures

Bankruptcy Court Drop Box Filing Procedures

Drop Box Cheat Sheet

Bankruptcy Court Drop Box Information Form—NOTICE (Complete and sign the form titled, Certification Under Local Bankruptcy Rule 2090-1, located under Emergency Usage Forms, above.

Temporary Court Protocols in Response to COVID-19 National Pandemic

By division of the Court, the bankruptcy judges, respectively via the below-linked court orders, have established temporary protocols in response to the existing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (“COVID-19”) national pandemic. The below-linked division-based orders provide additional directions for each specified temporary “Protocol Period.”

Alexandria Division: Protocol in Response to Public Health Emergency-Effective March 13, 2020 through April 30, 2020—Standing Order (March 16, 2020).

Norfolk-Newport News Divisions: Order Establishing Temporary Hearing Protocol for Bankruptcy Cases Pending in the Norfolk and Newport News Divisions—Norfolk Standing Order No. 20-1 and Newport News Standing Order No. 20-1-Effective March 19, 2020, through and including April 30, 2020.

Richmond Division: Exception to Standing Order 20-7 and Bankruptcy Court Operations Under the Exigent Circumstances Created by the Outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) for the Richmond Division Only

Richmond General Order 20-2-Effective March 23, 2020, through and including April 30, 2020.

Richmond General Order 20-3 Concerning exception to Standing Order 20-12 for Chapter 11 Cases

Notice to Public Access Terminal Users

Public Access to Court Electronically Available Records (Documents)

Standing Order 20-10 was vacated by Standing Order 21-10 due to the June 14, 2021, reopening of the public areas of the Bankruptcy Clerk’s Office at each of its divisional courthouse locations. The information set forth, below, no longer is in effect.

Courthouse closures and stay-at-home/safer-at-home orders resulting from the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic have eliminated or severely limited the public’s ability nationally to visit courthouse Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) terminals for free access to available court electronic records. For the present time, pursuant to the Court’s Standing Order No. 20-10, this includes the Court’s divisional office courthouse locations.

Accordingly, until further notice, if you seek to review electronically available Court records for your own personal, non-commercial use and —

(A) If you can access PACER.gov, but cannot afford to use it, please request a fee exempt PACER account for

your own personal, non-commercial use by taking the following four steps;

1. Create a PACER account at PACER.gov.

2. Complete and sign a COVID-19 Request for Personal, Non-Commercial Fee Exempt PACER Account form and follow the directions set forth in the form.

3. Email the completed and signed request for COVID-19 Personal Non-Commercial Fee Exempt PACER Account form to PACER-Fee-Exemption-request@vaeb.uscourts.gov.

4. After you have been notified that your PACER account has been granted fee exempt status, you may access available Court electronic documents at no cost at PACER.gov. You also will be notified if your request has been disapproved.

(B) If you cannot access PACER.gov and cannot afford to pay for copies of electronic Court records, please call the number listed below, for the divisional office of the Court where the case was filed, to request such records from the Court for your own personal, non-commercial use.

Alexandria Division – (703) 258-1200

Norfolk/Newport News Divisions – (757) 222-7500

Richmond Division – (804) 916-2400

COVID-19 Mortgage Assistance Information

The websites linked in the list below (the “Linked Websites”) do not represent a complete list of all available mortgage assistance programs and, due solely to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, are provided for convenience and informational purposes only. Listing the Linked Websites does not constitute or imply an endorsement or recommendation by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia (the “Court”) of the entities listed or information contained on the Linked Websites. The Court does not guarantee or make any representations concerning programs, products, services, or relief that may be obtained from using the Linked Websites. The Court is not responsible for the accuracy, legality, timeliness, or completeness of any information available on the Linked Websites or any other external website(s). The Court will not provide any additional information or respond to questions regarding the Linked Websites or their content.

The Federal Housing and Finance Agency: https://www.fhfa.gov/Homeownersbuyer/MortgageAssistance/Pages/Coronavirus-Assistance-Information.aspx.

Fannie Mae (to find out if Fannie Mae owns your loan, visit https://www.knowyouroptions.com/loanlookup):

https://www.fanniemae.com/portal/media/corporate-news/2020/covid-payment-deferral-7018.html;

Freddie Mac (to find out if Freddie Mac owns your loan, visit https://ww3.freddiemac.com/loanlookup/): https://myhome.freddiemac.com/getting-help/relief-for-homeowners.html

Federal Housing Administration (FHA): https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/SFH/documents/COVID-19HomeownerHelp.pdf.

Veterans Administration (VA): https://www.va.gov/housing-assistance/home-loans/trouble-making-payments/

Bank of America: https://about.bankofamerica.com/promo/assistance/latest-updates-from-bank-of-america-coronavirus

Caliber: https://caliberhomeloans.com/about-us/news/2020/03/13/message-to-our-customers-about-covid-19

Cenlar: https://www.cenlar.com/covid-19/

Chase: https://www.chase.com/digital/resources/coronavirus

Flagstar: https://www.flagstar.com/promo/update.html

Guild: https://www.guildmortgage.com/covid-19/