WEATHER EMERGENCY POLICY
Weather Closure Policy
Effective: August 1, 2018
Approved: June 29, 2018
I. Policy
A. In the event hazardous weather conditions require the closing of the United States District
Court, the decision to close the Minneapolis and St. Paul location will be made by the
Chief Judge.
B. The Chief Judge has authorized the Clerk of Court, in consultation with the onsite
Magistrate Judge, to make weather closure decisions with respect to the United States
District Court and related operations in Duluth.
C. The Chief Judge has authorized the Clerk of Court, in consultation with the onsite Case
Administrator, to make weather closure decisions with respect to the United States
District Court and related operations in Fergus Falls.
II. Applicability
By prior agreement, the closing of a United States District Courthouse will apply to the
U.S. Bankruptcy Court, the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Public Defender's Office, and the
U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Office.
III. Procedure
A. Following the decision to close the Court, the Clerk will distribute notification to
employees through the Emergency Notification Broadcast System (ENBS) and the
announcement will be posted on the Court's external website at: www.mnd.uscourts.gov.
B. All employees are expected to maintain current contact information in Infoweb to ensure
they receive notification through the ENBS. Employees may also visit the Court's
external website during severe weather to determine if the Court will be officially closed.
C. Each supervisor will be responsible for establishing their own internal plans for
communicating weather closure information to their employees if they wish to
supplement the information posted on the Court's external website and distributed
through ENBS.
IV. Authorization
Authorized:
___________________________________
John R. Tunheim, Chief Judge
_______June 29, 2018______
Date