A landlord filed a petition in December 2019, seeking possession of real property. A trial concluded on November 4, 2020. The court issued its decision on Dec. 11, 2020. The court granted the landlord’s petition for warrant of eviction (warrant). However, the court stayed execution based on the Tenant Safe Harbor Act (TSHA) until Jan. 1, 2021. On or about Dec. 22 or 23, 2020, the warrant was served upon the tenants with notice that the warrant would be executed on Jan. 20, 2021.

On Dec. 28, 2020, the “COVID-19 Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2020” became effective (COVID-Act). Section 8(a)(i) of the COVID-Act provides that “in any eviction proceeding in which an eviction warrant has been issued prior to the effective date of this act, but has not yet been executed as of the effective date of this act, including eviction proceedings filed on or before March 7, 2020, the court shall stay the execution of the warrant at least until the court has had a status conference with the parties.”