Iowans entering court-controlled spaces are no longer required to wear face coverings, under an Iowa Supreme Court order that took effect on February 14.

The Iowa Supreme Court reintroduced a comprehensive mask mandate last August, after the Delta variant caused a surge in cases and hospitalizations. A December order kept the requirement in place, as the Omicron variant became dominant. The February 11 order signed by Chief Justice Susan Christensen noted, “With both variants now on the wane, we find it appropriate to end this protocol.”

However, the new order gives judges discretion to “require face coverings by participants or take other measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in court proceedings as necessary.”

The Omicron wave pushed Iowa’s COVID-19 case numbers to all-time highs in January. But new positive cases have dropped sharply and are now at levels comparable to early December 2021.

Some other practices the Iowa Supreme Court introduced early in the pandemic will continue indefinitely, such as allowing more remote participation in certain kinds of civil or criminal hearings.

In the Condition of the Judiciary address Christensen delivered to the Iowa legislature last month, the chief justice said the judicial branch used federal COVID-19 relief funds through the CARES Act to install better technology systems in courtrooms, which facilitate not only remote hearings but also better sound quality, so jurors can clearly hear evidence presented.

Christensen also said the court’s criminal rules committee, led by Justice Edward Mansfield, had completed “a comprehensive revision of the rules governing all criminal cases in Iowa.” Those rules had been amended “piecemeal” since their adoption 44 years ago. Justice Dana Oxley is chairing a similar task force charged with reviewing Iowa’s rules of appellate procedure, and Justice Thomas Waterman is leading the effort to review Iowa’s rules of evidence.