Public Health Authority Case Updates for July, August, and September, 2022
July, 2022
Thursday, July 7: A federal judge in Virginia dismissed the complaint of parents alleging that Fairfax County Public Schools' quarantine policy unduly favored vaccinated children over unvaccinated children.
Monday, July 11: A federal judge in Virginia dismissed as moot a complaint by Americans Against Mask Mandates challenging the CDC transportation mask mandate.
Monday, July 11: A federal judge in South Carolina prevented a college from expelling a nursing student for not adhering to its vaccination mandate.
Wednesday, July 13: A district court denied a preliminary injunction of plaintiffs seeking to enjoin the enforcement of Puerto Rico's executive orders requiring proof of a COVID-19 vaccine for health certificate issuance.
Thursday, July 14: A federal judge in Ohio certified a national class action lawsuit against the entire U.S. Air Force worldwide and issued a temporary restraining order preventing the Biden administration from enforcing the COVID-19 vaccine mandate on any servicemembers who requested religious exemptions.
Thursday, July 14: A federal judge in Ohio certified a class action lawsuit and granted a temporary restraining order preventing the Air Force from enforcing its COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The plaintiffs, eighteen active duty and active reservist Airmen in the US Air force, allege the mandate violates the Religious Freedom and Restoration Act and the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment.
Tuesday, July 19: A federal magistrate judge in Ohio granted plaintiff’s motion to conduct discovery and denied defendants’ motion regarding scope of discovery in a case concerning a reservist in the US Air Force challenging the denial of their request for religious exemption to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
Monday, July 25: The Fifth Circuit ruled in favor of Texas officials, vacating a district court’s injunction blocking the state from prohibiting government entities from imposing mask mandate.
Tuesday, July 26: A group of parents in Los Angeles filed a lawsuit against the LA Public Health Department over its plans to bring back an indoor mask mandate in schools.
Wednesday, July 27: A Texas state appellate court upheld San Antonio Independent School District’s authority to mandate its workers get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Wednesday, July 27: A judge granted a preliminary injunction against the Air Force, requiring it not to act against service members who submitted COVID-19 vaccination religious exemptions until litigation is finished.
August, 2022
Friday, 8/19: The Fort Worth school board settled a mask mandate lawsuit filed by parents. According to the school district, any future mask mandates will include allow parents to opt-out for medical reasons or reasons of conscience.
Friday, 8/19: A federal judge in Maine dismissed a complaint from health care workers who sued Gov. Janet Mills over the state’s vaccine mandate for health care workers.
Monday, 8/22: Employees of New Jersey's veterans homes are suing the Murphy administration, claiming that poor decisions — including barring masks early in the pandemic — led to high illness and death rates.
Thursday, 8/11: A federal court in New York dismissed a suit against the Mayor of New York city and the Commissioner of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene over proof of vaccination requirements.
Thursday, 8/11: The Ninth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a lawsuit challenging COVID-19 requirements for agricultural employers.
Monday, 8/15: A California appeals court ruled that a church that violated COVID-19 regulations will not have to pay fines.
Thursday, 8/18: A federal court in Maine dismissed a lawsuit by healthcare workers challenging a vaccination mandate for certain healthcare employees.
Friday, August 5: A federal court in Connecticut dismissed two counts —an equal protection claim and a 1st amendment claim —of plaintiffs’ six-count amended complaint. The lawsuit arose over a dispute concerning mask mandate policies and was brought against the Plainfield Board of Education, as well as school district personnel.
Monday, August 8: A federal court in New York dismissed a suit by a pro se plaintiff alleging that defendant Mount Sinai Hospital compelled their COVID-19 vaccination despite plaintiff's request for a religious exemption. The court gave plaintiff up to 45 days to further amend their complaint if desired.
Tuesday, August 9: A Washington appeals court affirmed a trial court's order granting summary judgment to the Washington Secretary of Health against litigants seeking to invalidate the secretary’s masking mandates. The court held that the mandate did not implicate free speech and was not void as the authority of the Secretary, Governor, and local health officer were not improper.
Friday, 8/26: The Eleventh Circuit ruled against the federal contractor vaccine mandate, holding plaintiffs are entitled to preliminary injunction. However, the court also held the district court’s nationwide injunction was overbroad, narrowing the injunction to only cover plaintiff states and trade associations.
Tuesday, 8/30: The Arizona Attorney General’s Office announced it filed a civil rights lawsuit against the city of Tucson over its COVID-19 vaccination requirement.
Tuesday, 8/30: The Coast Guard Academy disenrolled seven cadets for failing to comply with the military’s COVID-19 vaccination mandate after their requests for religious exemptions were denied.
September, 2022
Thursday, 9/29: The 10th Circuit heard arguments on whether Colorado University medical school’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate burdens the free exercise of religion.
Monday, 9/26: A group of 23 former Seattle firefighters are suing the city and fire chief for religious discrimination and wage theft after each plaintiff filed for a religious exemption to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate, and none received accommodations.
Friday, 9/23: An Ohio court dismissed a case against Perrysburg schools for its mask mandate.
Friday, 9/23: A New York judge ruled that New York City’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate is invalid as it applies to members of the Police Benevolent Association. The city appealed.
Wednesday, 9/21: A federal judge in Louisiana struck down the Biden administration’s mask mandate and vaccine mandate for Head Start child care facility employees.
Wednesday, 9/21: The Supreme Court said it will consider hearing a challenge brought by an NYPD detective over the city’s vaccine mandate for public employees.
Tuesday, 9/20: The Oklahoma Supreme Court struck down a 2021 state law which prohibited school districts from enacting mask mandates without the governor first declaring a state of emergency.
Wednesday, 9/7:
A Magistrate Judge in the Eastern District of California recommended that a case alleging that a school mask mandate violated students constitutional rights be dismissed.
A District Court Judge in New York dismissed a complaint challenging the constitutionality of the New York City vaccine mandate, which required theatres and comedy clubs to verify the vaccination status of staff and patrons.
Service members of the U.S. Marine Corps sought a preliminary injunction to enjoin the Marine Corps from taking adverse action against Plaintiffs for refusing to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. The Magistrate Judge in TX granted the motion to stay “unless and until the preliminary injunction in Colonel FMO is vacated or stayed.”
Tuesday, 9/6: A mother sued the Lenawee County Department in Michigan for allegedly violating her children’s constitutional rights when temporarily excluded from in-person learning.The District Court dismissed the constitutional claims.
Thursday, 9/1: The District Court of Maryland dismissed a complaint filed by students at Towson University and an employee at the University of Maryland School of Law challenging the COVID-19 vaccine mandate enforced by the University System of Maryland.