Richard S. Order | Law in the Time of COVID-19

            On March 31, 2020, UKS attorney Richard S. Order went to court in Hartford and obtained a domestic violence restraining order protecting a woman and her year-old child from an abusive husband.  Although the Connecticut courts had been closed for most business by that time due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a few courts have remained open for high priority matters such as restraining orders and certain criminal arraignments. 

            “The court staff implemented social distancing measures to make court attendance as safe as possible,” said Attorney Order.  “Admission to the court house was one at a time, and the benches in the gallery section of the court room were cordoned off in a manner to provide ample spacing.  For example, no one was allowed to sit on the bench immediately behind the counsel tables.  Additionally, the judge called our case separately so that we didn’t have to sit in the court room while other cases were being heard.” 

            Attorney Order is also waiting for the scheduling of oral arguments in appeals before the Connecticut Appellate Court and the federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Los Angeles.  The Connecticut Appellate Court has announced that oral arguments will proceed in May and June via video conferencing, and it is expected that the Ninth Circuit will do likewise. 

            Richard S. Order is a Shareholder in the firm’s Litigation Department.  He primarily represents clients in business disputes in court, arbitration, and mediation.  Attorney Order can be reached at (860) 548-2659 or rorder@uks.com.