Do federal courts close during a shutdown?

Not automatically. The judiciary can use court-fee balances to keep paying staff for a limited period. After that, each court follows Judiciary guidance and keeps work that must continue under the Constitution and statute.

Should I still file by the deadline on my order?

Yes, unless that court issues a different order. A funding lapse is not a blanket extension of civil or criminal deadlines.

Will my hearing be canceled?

Criminal proceedings and time-sensitive matters are more likely to go forward. Some civil hearings, naturalization ceremonies hosted by a court, and administrative functions may be postponed. Check the specific court's website.

Federal Courts During a Government Shutdown

Short answer: Meet every deadline unless the court says otherwise. Federal courts are not funded like Cabinet agencies. They can run for a time on fee collections, then scale back non-required work. Your case does not pause just because other parts of government have lapsed.

Why courts are different

The federal judiciary has a separate appropriation and collects filing fees. In recent shutdowns the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts has said courts can continue paid operations until those balances run down—often described as roughly two weeks, though the actual runway depends on cash on hand. After that, courts keep functions required to support the exercise of the judicial power and postpone others.

That is not the same rule that applies to a typical executive-branch office.

What usually continues

Criminal cases, including speedy-trial obligations
Matters involving imminent risk to life or property
Emergency civil relief the court determines cannot wait
Public defender and court-appointed work the court still authorizes
Electronic filing systems, when the court keeps CM/ECF available

What may slow or pause

Some civil trials and conferences
Naturalization ceremonies scheduled at a courthouse
Naturalization and other administrative support that depends on furloughed executive-branch staff
New juror calls that are not needed for going-forward trials
Non-case administrative projects

Bankruptcy courts, magistrate judges, and circuit courts publish their own notices. A district that is fully staffed in week one may look different in week four.

What litigants and jurors should do

Read the order in your case. It controls.
Check the court’s own website the morning of a hearing.
File on time through CM/ECF or the method the court still accepts.
If you are a juror, follow the summons until the court releases you.
Do not assume a shutdown extends an appeal deadline.

Court employees are judiciary personnel. Their pay and furlough rules come from the judiciary’s plan, not from a Cabinet department’s spreadsheet. For executive-branch employees who appear as witnesses or counsel, see federal employee pay.

Official sources

Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts
U.S. Courts newsroom
Individual district, bankruptcy, and circuit court websites linked from uscourts.gov

If the issue is an IRS deadline rather than a court order, use the IRS shutdown guide.