As mentioned in our previous post, the legality of state Governors’ emergency powers have come under scrutiny during the pandemic. Michigan’s Supreme Court, for example, recently struck down Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s...more
A recent ruling by the Michigan Supreme Court nullifying hundreds of emergency orders by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer may have profound implications for those mortgage loans closed in reliance on the expanded remote...more
On Friday, October 2, 2020, the Michigan Supreme Court, in a 4-3 opinion, invalidated Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s COVID-19 executive orders, finding the Governor did not have the authority to issue executive orders...more
The Supreme Court’s decision does not mean that businesses and individuals in Michigan may return to pre-COVID-19 behavior or ignore Executive Order standards which have an independent legal basis. Employers, businesses, and...more
On Wednesday, September 2, 2020, Governor Janet Mills issued a proclamation extending Maine’s state of civil emergency through October 1, 2020. This is the sixth proclamation renewing the state of civil emergency, and keeps...more
“Openness in government is essential to the functioning of a democracy.” This straightforward declaration by the California Supreme Court bears repeating during the COVID-19 health crisis. “Newspapers, television, radio, and...more