Local Rule Administrative Order 21-02: Administrative Order Rescinding Administrative Orders 20-04, and 20-06 (As Extended by Administrative Order 20-10)

Administrative Order 21-02 All Divisions ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER RESCINDING ADMINISTRATIVE ORDERS 20-04, and 20-06 (AS EXTENDED BY ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER 20-10)

This order is issued in response to the recent reduction in the infection rate of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the United States and the State of Alabama. In an effort to resume normal court operations and access, in light of similar easing of restrictions throughout the various courts in the State of Alabama, effective OCTOBER 1, 2021, the following COVID-19 related Administrative Orders are hereby rescinded and will no longer be in effect:

(1) Admin. Order 20-06: Order Temporarily Suspending Requirement to Obtain Original Signatures from Debtors for Electronic Filings (entered March 27, 2020, as extended by Admin. Order 20-10, entered May 26, 2020); and

(2) Admin. Order 20-04: Order on Court Operations During COVID-19 Outbreak (entered March 13, 2020).

The rescission of Admin. Order 20-06 (as extended by Admin. Order 20-10) effective as of October 1, 2021, returns the court's signature requirements and e-filing procedures to the status quo ante, including the requirement that counsel obtain and preserve original signatures for documents so requiring, and applies to documents filed with the court on or after October 1, 2021, regardless of when the document was prepared, and regardless of whether the document is an original or is an amendment of a document that was previously filed while Admin. Order 20-06 (as extended by Admin. Order 20-10) was in effect.

The rescission of Admin. Order 20-04 effective as of October 1, 2021, returns to each Judge the discretion to schedule hearings via telephone or video, as well as in person. It is contemplated that most hearings in all divisions other than the Northern Division will be in-person from October 1, 2021 forward. The notice of hearing for each matter will indicate the courtroom location or the telephonic or video access information for each matter set.

Counsel are encouraged to take note of the effective date of October 1, 2021, and prepare in the interim to avoid conflicts and to pay particular attention to the language of every notice of hearing to ensure each is correctly calendared and communicated to the client.

Done this the 22nd day of June 2021.

/s/ James J. Robinson James J. Robinson, Chief Judge U.S. Bankruptcy Court /s/ Tamara O. Mitchell Tamara O. Mitchell, Judge U.S. Bankruptcy Court /s/ Jennifer H. Henderson Jennifer H. Henderson, Judge U.S. Bankruptcy Court /s/ Clifton R. Jessup, Jr. Clifton R. Jessup, Jr., Judge U.S. Bankruptcy Court /s/ D. Sims Crawford D. Sims Crawford, Judge U.S. Bankruptcy Court