Wisconsin Supreme Court slaps down state lockdown order

The Wisconsin State Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled 4-3 against the state's "safer at home" lockdown order which was slated to remain in place until May 26 after Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Andrea Palm in April extended the order that was first issued by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers in March.

Any subsequent lockdown orders will need to be approved by the state legislature, the ruling reportedly said. The current order will continue for six days providing space for the state's legislature to create new guidance in conjunction with the governor's office. 

“Rule-making exists precisely to ensure that kind of controlling, subjective judgement asserted by one unelected official, Palm, is not imposed in Wisconsin,” Chief Justice Patience Roggensack wrote for the majority.

On the dissenting side, Justice Rebecca Dallet said that the ruling will “undoubtedly go down as one of the most blatant examples of judicial activism in this court's history."

She added: "And it will be Wisconsinites who pay the price."