May 13, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Wisconsin Supreme Court blocks statewide stay-at-home order

In this image, two signs read: "unlock the economy" and "stop the madness"

Demonstrators protest the state's stay-at-home order at the state capitol on April 24. Photo: Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP via Getty Images

Wisconsin's Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled against the state's stay-at-home order, saying the state's health department exceeded its authority.

Flashback: The court last month blocked Gov. Tony Evers's executive order to delay in-person voting for the state's primary election, as other states have postponed primaries in an attempt to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Details: The stay-at-home order had called for schools to close for the rest of the academic year. The court blocked extensions to the safer stay-at-home order that went into effect on April 16, after being issued by the state's health department with the governor's blessing.

Where it stands: Wisconsin is reporting roughly 10,900 cases of the coronavirus and 421 deaths, per Johns Hopkins data as of Wednesday. Over 5,600 people have recovered from the virus in the state.

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