Wisconsin Supreme Court strikes down Wisconsin's stay-at-home order that closed businesses to limit spread of coronavirus

[Geee]

Milwaukee Journal

MADISON - The Wisconsin Supreme Court has struck down Gov. Tony Evers' order shutting down daily life to limit the spread of coronavirus — marking the first time a statewide order of its kind has been knocked down by a court of last resort. 

The state's highest court sided with Republican lawmakers Wednesday in a decision that curbed the power of Democratic Gov. Tony Evers' administration to act unilaterally during public health emergencies. 

The 4-3 decision was written by four of the court’s conservatives — Chief Justice Patience Roggensack and Justices Rebecca Bradley, Daniel Kelly and Annette Ziegler. 

The court’s fifth conservative, Brian Hagedorn, wrote a dissent joined by the court’s two liberals, Ann Walsh Bradley and Rebecca Dallet. 

The ruling immediately lifts all restrictions on businesses and gatherings imposed by the administration's order but keeps in place the closure of schools until fall. It comes after Evers had already begun lifting some restrictions because the spread of the virus has slowed for now.

[Geee]

If this had taken place in a few months from now the decision probably would be reversed. After liberal groups sent  millions of out of State dollars in to the Supreme Court election last month Daniel Kelly was defeated, but hasn't been replaced yet.

 

[Geee]

Coronavirus Cases in Georgia, Florida Continue to Decline Despite Business Openings

[Valin]

Walz to let stay-at-home order expire, keep key restrictions

STEVE KARNOWSKI and JEFF BAENEN, Associated Press

May 13, 2020

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Gov. Tim Walz said Wednesday he will let his stay-at-home order expire as scheduled Monday, though he’ll leave key restrictions in place to keep up Minnesota’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Don't get me wrong — we believe that the safest place we can be is at home,” Walz said in a televised address. “But we know we can't continue like this forever.”

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“We are not flipping a switch and going back to normal all at once. We are slowly moving a dial and introducing more interaction between people over time,” Walz said.

While the stay-at-home order will expire, the changes he announced amount to only a gradual relaxation of the state’s restrictions. Bars, restaurants, and other places where people gather in large numbers won’t be allowed to reopen for business as usual just yet. But gatherings of 10 people or fewer such as family celebrations will be allowed. Retailers that had been shuttered as nonessential will be allowed to reopen with restrictions on how many people can be allowed inside.

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[Valin]

1 hour ago, Geee said:

If this had taken place in a few months from now the decision probably would be reversed. After liberal groups sent  millions of out of State dollars in to the Supreme Court election last month Daniel Kelly was defeated, but hasn't been replaced yet.

 

Supreme Court strikes down Evers’ lockdown

M.D. Kittle 

May 13 2020

MADISON — Declaring that the state’s top health official wrongly bypassed legislative oversight, the Wisconsin Supreme Court on Wednesday struck down the Evers’ administration’s extended lockdown of the state. 

The 4-3 decision by the conservative-led court declares Wisconsin Department of Health Services Secretary-designee Andrea Palm’s  Emergency Order 28 “unlawful, invalid, and unenforceable.” 

“Because Palm did not follow the law in creating Order 28, there can be no criminal penalties for violations of her order,” the ruling notes. “The procedural requirements of Wis. Stat. ch. 227 must be followed because they safeguard all people.”

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Sure wish we had a Supreme Court Like this.

[Valin]

May 15 2020

The Wisconsin Supreme Court, in a 4-3 opinion, says Gov. Tony Evers' emergency powers don't allow him to extend stay-at-home orders indefinitely, handing a victory to the Republican legislators who sued. Several counties -- Milwaukee, Dane, Madison -- immediately announced they'd do their own lockdown extensions.

[Geee]

Legal challenges to stay-at-home orders gain momentum