February 27

• The Judicial Branch activated phase one of its emergency plan including education, prevention and contingency measures.
• Following the recommendations of health authorities, precautionary measures were sent by email and published in social media.
• Educational talks for staff were announced.

March 12

• Upon the declaration of a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Judicial Branch raised the level of alert and adopted additional preventive and sanitary measures.
• The following measures were announced:
  • Use of videoconference in non-probation court hearings to avoid person-to-person interaction while allowing judges to work on scheduled cases without suspending or postponing scheduled hearings.
• Staggered morning and afternoon schedules for court hearings that could not be held through videoconference in order to avoid gathering large groups of people in a courtroom.
• Employees who traveled to countries identified as level 3 risk by the CDC were instructed to remain at home for 14 days upon returning to Puerto Rico or until a physician certified that they could safely return to work.
• Educational visits scheduled for March, April and May were postponed.
• Employees were instructed to keep proper physical distancing and wash their hands regularly to avoid contagion.

March 13

• General Bar and Notarial Law Examinations scheduled for March 2020 were cancelled.
• The General Guidelines for the use of Videoconference in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico Courtrooms were implemented.

March 16

• The Supreme Court issued a Resolution extending judicial terms (EM-2020- 03) and another Resolution extending the term to complete continuing judicial education credits (EM-2020-04).
• The Office of Inspection of Notaries (ODIN by its Spanish acronym) announced its operation plan and available services.
• Chief Justice issued an Administrative Order extending the term for submitting reports to the Monthly Notarial Activity Index.

March 19

• The use of videoconference as an alternative method to attend to urgent matters appearing before courts during this emergency period was announced.

March 26

• An extension to the partial closing of operations until Sunday, April 12, 2020 was announced.
  • Urgent matters would still be attended to in Investigation Rooms and through videoconference.

• The Supreme Court issued a Resolution to extend all terms of judicial procedures due from March 16 to April 26 until Monday, April 27, 2020 (EM-2020-05).

March 27

• The Supreme Court issued a Resolution with guidelines for notary function during the COVID-19 emergency (EM-2020-06).

April 3

• New operation hours were announced.
  • Beginning on Monday, April 6, 2020 Investigation Rooms of all 13 judicial centers in Puerto Rico would be open to attend to new urgent matters Mondays through Fridays from noon until 4:00pm.

April 11

• The Judicial Brach extended its partial closing of operations until May 3, 2020. 

April 17

• The use of videoconference was extended to hear pending civil and family cases at the superior level.

April 24

• The Supreme Court issued a Resolution to authorize notaries to perform all types of activity required in the ordinary course of business (EM-2020-09).

May 2

• It was announced that in-person operations would not be increased, but the use of videoconference was extended to attend to diverse matters.
  • Hearings remain suspended until May 25, 2020.
• The use of videoconference was extended to attend to mediation processes in Conflict Mediation Centers.
• The Supreme Court issued a Resolution to extend all terms of judicial procedures due from March 16 to June 7 until June 8, 2020 (EM-2020-10).
• ODIN informed its phased resumption of operations.

May 5

• The use of videoconference was extended to attend to hearings before alimony examiners and interviews with social workers.

May 15

• The Supreme Court issued Resolution EM-2020-11 with measures pertaining to the Continuing Judicial Education Program.

May 20

• The Judicial Branch Contingency and Control of Exposure and Propagation of COVID-19 Plan was adopted through Circular Letter No. 21.

May 22

• The Supreme Court issued Resolution EM-2020-12 extending the judicial terms and subpoenas in face of the emergency situation.

June 8

• Phase one of the four-phase reopening plan began.

June 22

• Phase two of the four-phase reopening plan began.

July 6

• ProSe Centers resumed operations offering information and orientation by telephone and videoconference.

July 16

• It was announced that courts would remain in phase 2 of the four-phase reopening plan.

August 17

• It was announced that Bar Examinations would be offered under strict measures. In addition, the Supreme Court issued a Resolution determining that aspiring lawyers who could not or would not take the Bar Examination in September could request provisional admission to the practice of law under supervision until the Examination Board offers the next exam (ER-2020-06).

August 25

• The Supreme Court issued an Opinion Pueblo v. Cruz Nazario, 2020 TSPR 90, determining that, given Puerto Rico’s present situation in the context of the pandemic, the Confrontation Clause contained in the Sixth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States and in Section 11 of the Bill of Rights of the Constitution of Puerto Rico, does not prohibit a witness to declare in Court using a mask as a means to prevent the propagation of COVID-19.

September 8

• The Supreme Court issued an Opinion in Pueblo v. Santiago Cruz; Pueblo en interés del menor F.L.R.CT-2020-17 cons. CT-2020-18, sustaining the validity of the mechanism of videoconference to celebrate hearings in criminal processes previous to the trial. Specifically, the Court determined that in view of the incalculable challenges posed by the public health emergency we are facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there is no constitutional impediment––whether under the Constitution of Puerto Rico or the federal Constitution––to celebrate through videoconference the preliminary hearing under Rule 23 of Criminal Procedure and the probable cause hearing under Rule 2.10 of the Rules of Procedure for Child Issues [Reglas de Procedimiento para Asuntos de Menores].

September 10

• It was announced that the Judicial Branch remains if phase 2 of the four-phase reopening plan. Teleworking will continue and the use of videoconference will be maximized.

October 28

• It was announced that courts would remain in phase 2 with modifications to the reopening plan. The use of the videoconferencing system will continue as a preferred alternative to in person proceedings before the courts. Phase two now includes up to 50% of staff in person and includes the schedule of initial hearings and other procedural hearings in cases of evictions, debt collection (Rule 60) and foreclosures. These alternatives seek to promote that the parties reach an agreement in order to move the case forward during the proceedings prior to the trial.