Michigan Supreme Court Dismisses COVID-19 Mandate Challenge

The court dismissed a challenge to COVID-19 mandates, leaving the state’s executive authority on future health restrictions unaddressed and intact.

A State of Michigan Department of Health and Human Services office in Detroit, Mich., on March 26, 2020. Jeff Kowalsky/AFP via Getty Images

The Michigan Supreme Court has dismissed a case challenging the pandemic powers of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), overturning a lower court’s finding the agency overstepped its authority with sweeping COVID-19 mandates.

By dismissing the case, the high court did not have to rule on the constitutionality of DHHS’s executive powers. It remains a question whether the department can impose similar restrictions on Michigan businesses and individuals in the future without legislative approval.