October 7, 2025

On October 1 and 2, 2025, federal courts in the Southern District of New York and the Middle District of Pennsylvania, respectively, entered standing orders pausing civil cases involving the United States due to the lapse in appropriations for the Department of Justice. Chief Judge Laura Taylor Swain and Chief Judge Matthew Brann each ordered a stay of most civil proceedings in which the United States, its agencies, or officers appear through the U.S. Attorney’s Office or DOJ. The directives apply to both pending and newly filed matters and will remain in place until Congress restores funding and DOJ operations resume. Together, the orders (1) suspend most active federal civil cases involving the government in these two districts and (2) places all applicable deadlines and filings on hold until further direction from the court.

The stays exclude bankruptcy, habeas corpus, and immigration proceedings but cover a broad range of enforcement, regulatory, and defense matters. Filing and response deadlines are held in abeyance without prejudice with counsel to submit revised schedules once normal operations recommence. Additionally, each U.S. Attorney’s Office must file periodic status reports confirming the continuing need for the stay and provide notice once appropriations are reinstated. For practitioners, the effect is an immediate halt to government-related civil litigation and delays across jurisdictions where DOJ representation is essential.