All Ninth Circuit
Judicial Officers, Lawyer Representatives & Court Unit Executives
In light of the
national public health emergency due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
outbreak, and in consultation with Conference Chair Circuit Judge John Owens
and Program Chair District Judge Michael Simon, I have decided to cancel the
2020 Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference scheduled for July in Portland. I do so
with considerable regret, but the health and safety of all of us must remain
our highest priority, and we do not know with any certainty how long this
outbreak will last. We may present some Conference programs via video on our
website.
Judge
Owens and Judge Simon have done an exceptional job leading the Conference
Executive Committee to develop an outstanding program.
As we did once before when a circuit conference was cancelled in 2013, the
2019-2020 Conference Executive Committee will continue their terms for another
year, as will all lawyer representatives, so that you can attend the 2021 Ninth
Circuit Judicial Conference, July 11-15, in Big Sky, Montana. Many of the
programs and speakers will be reconfirmed for next year.
The Fifth Annual Ninth Circuit Civics Contest will continue and
first place essay and video production winners will be selected in late spring.
The theme
of the contest, “The Right to Vote: Milestone Anniversaries,” poses the
following challenge to participants: In the wake of the 15th and 19th
Amendments, barriers remained to prevent United States citizens from voting. Do
formal or informal barriers remain today? What additional changes would you
make, if any, to Americans’ voting rights? We will keep you posted on the
contest and some additional conference-related ideas later this summer.
In
closing, I want to acknowledge the challenges we all face and thank the
Circuit’s judicial officers, all the lawyer representatives and court
executives for everything you continue to do for the courts, for the
administration of justice.
With
sincere wishes that you and your families will be safe and remain in good
health.
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