Wisconsin Supreme Court Rules against Extension of Stay-at-home Orders

By Staff, Agencies

The Supreme Court in the US state of Wisconsin ruled Wednesday against an extension of stay-at-home orders issued to curb the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus.

The conservative-leaning body rejected the plan to prolong restrictions on personal mobility and non-essential business operations until May 26 as "unlawful, invalid, and unenforceable."

In a 4-3 ruling, the conservative-leaning court found the state's Health Services Secretary Andrea Palm acting beyond the scope of her authority in a "vast seizure of power."

The "claim to control virtually every aspect of a person’s life is something we normally associate with a prison," Justice Daniel Kelly said, stressing the primacy of the rule of law.

The dissenting justices lamented the ruling as "judicial activism" and warned that it could take a toll on Wisconsin and its residents.

Wisconsin has reported a total of some 11,050 COVID-19 infections so far, less than one percent of the 1,375,542 nationwide cases.

The ruling against the extension of stay-at-home orders is one of the most high-profile -- and most successful -- challenges to the emergency regulations in the US, with complaints against those also filed in Michigan, California, Kentucky and Illinois.