This article discusses the impact of pandemic restrictions on the family court system in Ethiopia. As lack of technological infrastructure made shifting to online services impossible, court services remained in-person. Public health measures required a drastic reduction in case hearings in order to allow social distancing. Both federal and regional state courts were partially closed from early March 2020 to end of September 2020 and only entertained cases of “urgent” nature that affected life, liberty, and public safety. The article focuses on strategies adopted by family courts in Amhara Regional State with respect to its impacts on litigating parties in such courts. It argues partial closure of court services disrupted access to justice in family law cases and increased vulnerability of women and children. This article proposes alternative strategies other than partial closure of court services.

中文翻译：

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埃塞俄比亚的大流行限制：对阿姆哈拉地区州法院家庭法案件的影响

本文讨论了流行病限制对埃塞俄比亚家庭法院系统的影响。由于缺乏技术基础设施，无法转向在线服务，法庭服务仍然是面对面的。公共卫生措施要求大幅减少案件听证会，以保持社交距离。从 2020 年 3 月上旬到 2020 年 9 月底，联邦和地区州法院都部分关闭，只受理影响生命、自由和公共安全的“紧急”性质的案件。本文重点介绍阿姆哈拉地区州家庭法院就其对此类法院诉讼当事人的影响所采取的策略。它认为，部分关闭法院服务会扰乱家庭法案件的司法救助，并增加妇女和儿童的脆弱性。