Court, the chief judge of the Superior Court may ex-
ercise emergency authority in accordance with this 
section. 
‘‘(2) SCOPE
OF
AUTHORITY.—(A) The chief 
judge may enter such order or orders as may be ap-
propriate to delay, toll, or otherwise grant relief 
from the time deadlines imposed by otherwise appli-
cable laws or rules for such period as may be appro-
priate for any class of cases pending or thereafter 
filed in the Superior Court. 
‘‘(B) The authority conferred by this section ex-
tends to all laws and rules affecting criminal and ju-
venile proceedings (including, pre-arrest, post-arrest, 
pretrial, trial, and post-trial procedures) and civil, 
family, domestic violence, probate and tax pro-
ceedings. 
‘‘(3) UNAVAILABILITY
OF
CHIEF
JUDGE.—If 
the chief judge of the Superior Court is absent or 
disabled, the authority conferred by this section may 
be exercised by the judge designated under section 
11–907(a) or by the Joint Committee on Judicial 
Administration. 
‘‘(4) HABEAS CORPUS UNAFFECTED.—Nothing 
in this section shall be construed to authorize sus-
pension of the writ of habeas corpus. 
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‘‘(b) CRIMINAL CASES.—In exercising the authority 
under this section for criminal cases, the chief judge shall 
consider the ability of the United States or District of Co-
lumbia Government to investigate, litigate, and process de-
fendants during and after the emergency situation, as well 
as the ability of criminal defendants as a class to prepare 
their defenses. 
‘‘(c) ISSUANCE OF ORDERS.—The United States At-
torney for the District of Columbia or the Attorney Gen-
eral for the District of Columbia or the designee of either 
may request issuance of an order under this section, or 
the chief judge may act on his or her own motion. 
‘‘(d) DURATION
OF ORDERS.—An order entered 
under this section may not toll or extend a time deadline 
for a period of more than 14 days, except that if the chief 
judge determines that an emergency situation requires ad-
ditional extensions of the period during which deadlines 
are tolled or extended, the chief judge may, with the con-
sent of the Joint Committee on Judicial Administration, 
enter additional orders under this section in order to fur-
ther toll or extend such time deadline. 
‘‘(e) NOTICE.—Upon issuing an order under this sec-
tion, the chief judge— 
‘‘(1) shall make all reasonable efforts to pub-
licize the order, including, when possible, announcing 
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the order on the District of Columbia Courts web 
site; and 
‘‘(2) shall send notice of the order, including 
the reasons for the issuance of the order, to the 
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Over-
sight and Government Reform of the House of Rep-
resentatives. 
‘‘(f) REQUIRED REPORTS.—Not later than 180 days 
after the expiration of the last extension or tolling of a 
time period made by the order or orders relating to an 
emergency situation, the chief judge shall submit a brief 
report to the Committee on Homeland Security and Gov-
ernmental Affairs of the Senate, the Committee on Over-
sight and Government Reform of the House of Represent-
atives, and the Joint Committee on Judicial Administra-
tion describing the orders, including— 
‘‘(1) the reasons for issuing the orders; 
‘‘(2) the duration of the orders; 
‘‘(3) the effects of the orders on litigants; and 
‘‘(4) the costs to the court resulting from the 
orders. 
‘‘(g) EXCEPTIONS.—The notice under subsection 
(e)(2) and the report under subsection (f) are not required 
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