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COVID shutdown arguments before MI Supreme Court in January

The Michigan Supreme Court will hear arguments in January on whether the state owes money to businesses affected by COVID-19 shutdown orders.

A fitness center company, a bowling alley and a catering business argue the state owes them for lost income due to shutdown orders issued early in the pandemic. In legalese, it’s called a “taking.” The Michigan Court of Appeals dismissed the lawsuit last year, but the businesses challenged the decision before the state Supreme Court.

The state argues the COVID pandemic presented a crisis that required extraordinary measures that were equally applied to all businesses that serve the public. There are also arguments on whether COVID closure orders that included courthouses affected deadlines for filing lawsuits.

The arguments are scheduled for January 10th and 11th. Final decisions will likely come months later.