Judge tosses Legislature's lawsuit over Gov. Whitmer's emergency powers [View all]

Source: Detroit Free Press

A judge tossed a lawsuit filed by Republican lawmakers that challenged Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's use of emergency powers to lock down the state amid the coronavirus pandemic, providing a big political win for the governor — at least for now.

Michigan Court of Claims Judge Cynthia Stephens sided with the governor, a Democrat, in an opinion issued Thursday afternoon that ends the lawsuit.

Legal experts had said such an outcome was likely. Republicans have pledged to appeal the judge's ruling.

The lawsuit, filed May 7 by the Republican-controlled state House and Senate, argued that Whitmer's emergency orders, including the stay-at-home order that runs through May 28, were invalid because of a lack of statutory authority.

Read more: https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/2020/05/21/judge-tosses-legislatures-lawsuit-whitmers-powers/5239366002/