Category: State
-
Federal judge orders New York State Board of Elections to reinstate Democratic presidential preference primary on June 23
On May 5, Judge Analisa Torres of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York ordered the New York State Board of Elections to reinstate the Democratic presidential preference primary on June 23, 2020, which the board had previously canceled. The order was the result of a lawsuit filed on April 28 by Andrew Yang,…
-
Supreme Court of Florida delays jury trials through July 2
On May 4, 2020, Charles Canady, the Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court, issued a new emergency order extending the suspension of jury trials through July 2. The order also increases the number of proceedings that will be conducted remotely. The list includes non-jury trials, hearings in juvenile delinquency cases, and pretrial conferences. For…
-
Connecticut closes schools to in-person instruction for the remainder of the year
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) announced that schools in the state would remain closed to in-person instruction for the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year. Prior to the announcement, schools in the state were closed to in-person instruction through May 20. Forty-seven states have closed schools to in-person instruction for the remainder of the academic…
-
Mississippi to allow restaurants, bars, and outdoor recreational facilities to reopen May 7
On May 4, 2020, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) announced that restaurants, bars, and outdoor recreational facilities in the state would be permitted to reopen effective May 7. Restaurants and bars must close no later than 10:00 p.m. and must adhere to social distancing and other guidelines. Outdoor recreational facilities can operate from 9:00 a.m.…
-
Ducey appoints four judges to Arizona Court of Appeals and Maricopa County Superior Court
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R) made four judicial appointments on April 24, becoming the governor who has made the most judicial appointments in state history. Ducey has appointed 71 judges since taking office, overtaking the previous record of 68 appointments made by former Gov. Bruce Babbitt (D). Babbitt held office from 1978 to 1987. Ducey…
-
Komi resigns from New Hampshire House of Representatives
Former Rep. Richard Komi (D) resigned from the New Hampshire House of Representatives on May 2, after House Speaker Stephen Shurtleff (D) requested his resignation the previous day. The request for Komi’s resignation followed a tweet that Komi posted indicating his belief that sexual assault allegations against Vice President Joe Biden, which Biden has denied,…
-
Recall launched against Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey over stay-at-home order
A recall petition was filed against Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R) on May 1 over his stay-at-home order due to the coronavirus pandemic. Supporters of the recall have up to 120 days—or no later than August 29, 2020—to collect the 594,111 signatures needed to force a recall election. The recall effort is being organized by…
-
One incumbent defeated in Ohio’s 2020 state legislative primaries
Forty contested primaries took place for the Ohio state legislature on April 28, 2020. There were nine primaries in the state Senate and 31 primaries in the state House. By partisan affiliation, 17 were Democratic primaries and 23 were Republican primaries. This was a 35.5 percent decrease in the number of primaries from 2018 (62)…
-
One Missouri Supreme Court justice faces retention election in November
Missouri Supreme Court Justice Patricia Breckenridge will face a retention election on November 3, 2020. She is the only member of the court facing a retention election this year. She was originally appointed by a Republican governor in 2007 and won a retention election in 2008. Currently, two justices on the court were appointed by…
-
Supreme Court of Georgia extends restrictions on in-person proceedings through June 12
On May 4, 2020, Supreme Court of Georgia Chief Justice Harold D. Melton announced that restrictions on in-person proceedings and the suspension of jury trials would be extended through June 12. Under the order, courts will be encouraged to develop plans for resuming nonessential court operations that can be conducted through video or phone conferencing…