COVID-Response Tracker
Coronavirus Tracker: How Justice Systems Are Responding in Each State
As COVID-19 spreads, states are suspending visits to prison facilities and limiting criminal court proceedings. We’re rounding up the changes as they occur. Have you seen closures to prisons, jails or courts due to coronavirus? Tell us about it here.
Restrictions on prison visitation
Changes to court operations
Arizona
As of March 26, Coconino County Adult Probation suspended in-person reporting for all clients, except in the event of an eminent public safety risk, with approval of a super. All residential and in-person contacts can be done via technology, e.g., telephone or video conferencing. Cococino also suspended incarceration for technical violations.
Cococino County Adult Probation suspended incarceration for technical violations. See above for changes to reporting requirements; “Judge Jack Barker, Union County District Court judge, released [from jail] misdemeanor offenders that were still being held due to owing fines. The ACC Probation and Parole office also released some minor offenders who were held on jail sanctions over the weekend due to probation or parole violations.” Read more details.
Alaska
All visitation, including legal visits, has been suspended since March 13.
Courts remain open, but have suspended all in-person proceedings, with exceptions for certain "priority" hearings. Read more details.
Arizona
Visitation has been suspended since March 13. Legal visits are also suspended.
Courts remain open, but have suspended all in-person proceedings, with exceptions. Jury trials are suspended. Read more details.
Arkansas
All visitation, including legal visits, has been suspended since March 16. Legal visits may be granted on a case-by-case basis.
Courts remain open, but have suspended all in-person proceedings, with exceptions for emergencies and trials already in progress. Read more details.
California
Normal visitation has been suspended since March 13, and legal visits suspended since April 7. Overnight family visits have been suspended since March 16.
All jury trials are suspended. Courts have the discretion to implement measures to reduce in-person contact. Read more details.
Colorado
Personal visits have been suspended since March 11. Legal visits are allowed, but they will be non-contact visits.
Jury calls are suspended, except for criminal trials facing imminent deadlines for speedy trials. District judges have the discretion to decide how to conduct non-essential proceedings. Read more details.
Connecticut
Personal visits have been suspended since March 13. Legal visits are allowed, but officials strongly recommend communicating by phone instead.
Courts remain open, but only allow in-person proceedings for "Priority 1 Business Functions." Read more details.
Delaware
Visitation has been suspended since March 12 "until the DOC implements enhanced screening measures." Legal visits are allowed.
Courts remain open, but only allow essential proceedings. Jury trials are suspended. Read more details.
District of Columbia
Washington, D.C., sends its prisoners to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, where all visitation, including legal visits, has been suspended since March 13. Attorneys may be approved for an in-person visit on a case-by-case basis.
Courts remain open but have suspended all in-person proceedings, with some exceptions. Jury trials are suspended, except those already underway. Read more details.
Florida
Personal visits have been suspended since March 11, but legal visits are allowed.
Courts remain open, but only allow essential proceedings. All jury trials are suspended, including those under speedy trial procedures. Read more details.
Georgia
All visitation, including legal visits, has been suspended since March 13.
Courts remain open, and the State Supreme court recommends that in-person proceedings be avoided, but trial courts can decide how to conduct such proceedings. Read more details.
Hawaii
Personal visits have been suspended since March 13, but legal visits are allowed.
Courts remain open, but have suspended all in-person proceedings, with exceptions. Read more details.
Idaho
Personal visits have been suspended since March 13. Legal visits are allowed, but officials strongly recommend communicating by phone instead.
Courts remain open, but have suspended all in-person proceedings, with exceptions. Read more details.
Illinois
Personal visits have been suspended since March 14. Legal visits are allowed, but attorneys will be screened upon arrival.
Courts remain open, and the State Supreme court recommends that in-person proceedings be avoided. Circuit judges are authorized to suspend jury trials. Read more details.
Indiana
Visitation has been suspended since March 11. Legal visits are allowed, but attorneys will be screened upon arrival for contact visits.
Courts remain open, but have suspended all in-person proceedings, with exceptions. Read more details.
Iowa
Personal visits have been suspended since March 14. Legal visits are allowed, but non-contact visits are strongly encouraged, and attorneys will be screened upon arrival.
Courts remain open, but have suspended all in-person proceedings, with exceptions. Jury trials are suspended, except for those already underway. Read more details.
Kansas
Personal visits have been suspended since March 12. Legal visits are allowed, but officials strongly recommend communicating by phone or in writing.
Courts remain open, but only allow "emergency operations." Jury trials already in progress may proceed. Read more details.
Kentucky
Personal visits have been suspended since March 14. Legal visits are allowed, but non-contact visits are strongly encouraged and attorneys may be screened upon arrival.
Courts remain open, but have suspended all in-person proceedings, with exceptions. Read more details.
Louisiana
Personal visits has been suspended since March 12. Legal visits are also suspended, but exceptions may be made at the discretion of the warden.
Courts remain open, but have suspended all in-person proceedings, with exceptions. Jury trials already in progress may proceed. Read more details.
Maine
Personal visits have been suspended since March 12, but legal visits are allowed.
Courts remain open, but have suspended all in-person proceedings, with exceptions. Read more details.
Maryland
Personal visits have been suspended since March 12, but legal visits are allowed.
Courts remain open, but only allow certain "mandatory" proceedings. Read more details.
Massachusetts
Personal visits have been suspended since March 13, but legal visits are allowed.
Courts remain open, but only allow certain emergency proceedings. Jury trials already in progress will end and will be held as new trials when the court returns to normal operations. Read more details.
Michigan
Personal visits have been suspended since March 13, but legal visits are allowed.
Courts remain open, but only allow certain essential proceedings. All jury trials are suspended. Read more details.
Minnesota
Personal visits have been suspended since March 12. Legal visits are allowed, but they will not be face-to-face visits.
Courts remain open, but have suspended all in-person proceedings, with exceptions. Jury trials already in progress may proceed. Read more details.
Mississippi
Personal visits have been suspended since March 12, but legal visits are allowed.
Individual judges have discretion to postpone trials and jury summonses. Read more details.
Missouri
Personal visits have been suspended since March 12, but legal visits are allowed.
Courts remain open, but have suspended all in-person proceedings, with exceptions. Jury trials already in progress may proceed. Read more details.
Montana
Visitation has been suspended since March 13. Legal visits are also suspended.
Courts are asked to conduct operations remotely wherever possible. Proceedings are limited to 14 people unless a six-foot physical distance can be maintained between individuals. Read more details.
Nebraska
Personal visits have been suspended since March 16. Legal visits are allowed, but attorneys will be screened on entry.
The courts have not issued any statewide policy adjusting proceedings other than to bar anyone with an elevated risk of transmitting the virus. Read more details.
Nevada
All visitation, including legal visits, has been suspended since March 7.
The courts have not issued any statewide policy adjusting proceedings. Read more details.
New Hampshire
All visitation, including legal visits, has been suspended since March 16.
Courts remain open, but have suspended all in-person proceedings, with exceptions. Read more details.
New Jersey
Personal visits have been suspended since March 10, but legal visits are allowed.
Courts remain open, but have suspended all in-person proceedings, with exceptions. Read more details.
New Mexico
All visits, including contact, non-contact, and legal visits have been temporarily suspended.
Courts remain open but have suspended all in-person proceedings, with exceptions. Jury trials are suspended, except those already underway. Proceedings are limited to 15 people or fewer in attendance. Read more details.
New York
Visitation has been suspended since March 14. Legal visits are allowed.
Courts remain open, but have suspended all in-person proceedings, with exceptions. Jury trials are suspended, except those already underway. Read more details.
North Carolina
Personal visits have been suspended since March 13, but legal and pastoral visits are allowed.
Courts remain open but have suspended all in-person proceedings, with exceptions. Jury trials already in progress may proceed. Read more details.
North Dakota
All contact visits have been suspended since March 12. Legal visits are also suspended but can be arranged with a warden on a case-by-case basis.
Jury trials are suspended, except those already underway. Judges may cancel other proceedings. Read more details.
Ohio
Personal visits have been suspended since March 12. Legal visits are allowed, but attorneys will be screened on entry.
The courts have not issued any statewide policy adjusting proceedings but issued recommendations to minimize in-person appearances. Read more details.
Oklahoma
Visitation has been suspended since March 13. Legal visits are allowed.
Jury trials are suspended, and judges are ordered to reschedule other in-person proceedings, with exceptions. Read more details.
Oregon
All visitation, including legal visits, has been suspended since March 12.
Courts remain open, but have suspended all in-person proceedings, with exceptions. Read more details.
Pennsylvania
Personal visits have been suspended since March 13, but legal visits are allowed. Legal visitation was suspended for one day, March 13.
Courts remain open, but have suspended non-essential proceedings and jury trials. Read more details.
Rhode Island
All visitation, including legal visits, has been suspended since March 11. Urgent medical visits are allowed.
Courts remain open, but have suspended non-essential proceedings and jury trials. Read more details.
South Carolina
Personal visits have been suspended since March 13, but legal visits are allowed.
Jury trials are suspended. Trial court judges have discretion to proceed with other hearings and limit attendance. Read more details.
South Dakota
Visitation has been suspended since March 12, but legal visits are allowed.
Circuit judges may modify court proceedings to reduce in-person appearances. Read more details.
Tennessee
Personal visits have been suspended since March 12. Legal visits are also suspended, though wardens may grant special requests for in-person access.
Jury trials are suspended. Courts are encouraged to conduct proceedings remotely wherever possible, but judicial districts may develop plans to gradually reintroduce non-emergency in-person proceedings. Read more details.
Texas
Personal visits have been suspended since March 13. Legal visits are also suspended, though some exceptions are made on a case-by-case basis for Death Row prisoners with execution dates set.
Courts remain open, but have suspended non-essential proceedings. Those conducted in person are limited to 10 people. Read more details.
Utah
Personal visits have been suspended since March 12. Legal visits are allowed, but they will be non-contact visits.
Courts remain open, but have suspended all in-person proceedings, with exceptions. Jury trials are suspended. Read more details.
Vermont
Personal visits have been suspended since March 13, but legal visits are allowed.
Courts remain open but have suspended all in-person proceedings, with exceptions. Jury trials are suspended, except those already underway. Read more details.
Virginia
Personal visits have been suspended since March 13. Legal visits are also suspended.
Courts remain open, but have suspended non-essential proceedings and jury trials. Read more details.
Washington
Personal visits have been suspended since March 12, but legal visits are allowed.
Courts remain open, but have suspended all in-person proceedings, with exceptions. Jury trials are suspended, except those already underway. Read more details.
West Virginia
Personal visits have been suspended, but legal visits are allowed.
Courts remain open, but have suspended all in-person proceedings, with exceptions. Jury trials are suspended. Read more details.
Wisconsin
Personal visits have been suspended since March 13, but legal visits are allowed.
Courts remain open, but have suspended all in-person proceedings, with exceptions. Jury trials are suspended, and circuit courts are permitted to seek emergency exemptions. Read more details.
Wyoming
Personal visits have been suspended since March 18. Lawyers are allowed access, but may not have physical contact with prisoners and can only meet through phone or video calls.
Courts remain open, but have suspended all in-person proceedings, with exceptions. Jury trials are suspended, except those already underway or trials that must be scheduled to comply with speedy trial requirements. Read more details.
Federal
All visitation, including legal visits, has been suspended by the Federal Bureau of Prisons since March 13. Attorneys may be approved for an in-person visit on a case-by-case basis.
Sources State prison and court systems, National Center for State Courts
Graphic by Katie Park
Reporting by Cary Aspinwall, Keri Blakinger, Andrew R. Calderón, Maurice Chammah, Eli Hager, Gabe Isman, Jamiles Lartey, Weihua Li, Nicole Lewis, Tom Meagher, Joseph Neff, Katie Park, Alysia Santo, Beth Schwartzapfel, Christie Thompson and Abbie VanSickle
Additional development by Gabe Isman