UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
MCALLEN DIVISION
IN RE: TEMPORARY PUBLIC ACCESS
RESTRICTIONS TO THE
UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE
MCALLEN DIVISON
UNDER THE EXIGENT
CIRCUMSTANCES CREATED
BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

SPECIAL ORDER M-2020-3

SPECIAL ORDER

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to protect the health and safety
of the public, staff, and judicial officers from exposure to or spread of the virus,
it is hereby ORDERED:
The United States Courthouse in McAllen, Texas (Bentsen Tower) will be
closed to the public effective Monday, April 6, 2020 until further notice.
The United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
remains open for official business. Filings will continue to be processed in
bankruptcy, civil and criminal cases via the Case Management/Electronic Case
Filing ("CM/ECF") system. For those without access to CM/ECF, documents
may be submitted by mail, or in the event of emergency may be submitted by
email to: McAllen_Operation@txs.uscourts.gov. All emergency filings must
include an email address and phone number where the filer may be reached.
Filings submitted by mail will be considered filed on the postmark date and will
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 be processed upon receipt. Payments by attorneys utilizing the CM/ECF system
will be processed via credit card utilizing Pay.gov. Payments by check or money
order will be accepted by mail and will be processed upon receipt.
A lock box will be established outside the front doors of the courthouse
where physical documents or payments may be deposited. All documents or
payments shall be accompanied by the name and phone number of the filer or
depositor, and a case or reference number when available.
Any pro se litigant filing a case via mail should secure a check or money
order and should submit it with his or her filing. Should the pro se litigant be
unable to secure payment, the Clerk' s Office will send a notice directing
payment be submitted after the courthouse reopens.
Although the building is closed to the public, the court remains open for
official business. Federal officers, federal employees, attorneys scheduled to
appear in court, defendants who have court appearances, litigants and
contractors who work in the building will not be restricted from entry. Others
may be permitted to enter on specific order of a presiding judge.
Although court hearings will be significantly minimized during this time,
victims, family members, the public and the press who desire to attend a court
hearing will be permitted to do so telephonically by contacting the chambers of
the presiding judge and obtaining call-in instructions on the morning of any
such hearing.

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 IT IS SO ORDERED.
Signed this 3rd day of April, 2020.

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RJCARDO H. HINOJOSA
U.S. DISTRJCT JUDGE

U.S. DISTRJCT JUDGE

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U.S . DISTRJCT JUDGE

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 Any questions for the McAllen Division may be directed to:
if you are scheduled to meet with a Probation or Pretrial
Services Officer, contact the Probation and Pretrial Services
Office directly for guidance and instructions at (956) 6188035;
United States District Clerk’s office at (956) 618-8065
if you are a juror, contact the Jury Department at
(956) 618-8479 or e-mail mcallen_jury@txs.uscourts.gov
if you are represented by an attorney, contact your attorney;
for case-specific matters, contact the case manager for that
court; Telephone contact information for the District Court is
available at www.txs.uscourts.gov
For urgent matters with the U.S. District Clerk’s Office
contact 956-655-8377 or 956-342-4697.