A federal court has announced that the period from March 5, 2026, through March 22, 2026, will be excluded from speedy trial calculations for cases in the Midland-Odessa and Pecos divisions. The decision comes after a measles outbreak at the West Texas Detention Facility.
The court stated: “Due to a measles outbreak currently impacting West Texas Detention Facility and its implications on speedy trial rights under 18 U.S.C. 3161, the Court finds that the end of justice outweigh the interest of the Defendants and of the public in a speedy trial, and that the period of time from March 5, 2026 through March 22, 2026, is excludable time within the Speedy Trial Act 18 U.S.C. 3161 and is hereby EXCLUDED from respective speedy trial calculations pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 3161 (h)(7)(A).”
This order affects all cases scheduled during this timeframe in these divisions.
