Skip to main content
We may receive compensation from affiliate partners for some links on this site. Read our full Disclosure here.

Missouri Judge Issues Blistering Ruling That Deems Coercive Health Department COVID-19 Measures Illegal


4,230 views

A Missouri judge ruled that public health orders issued by the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) violate the state constitution.

The judge determined coercive COVID-19 measures, such as mask mandates and business closures, infringe upon the constitutional separation of powers.

Thus, public health orders and edicts issued by the health department no longer stand.

Unelected health officials must stop their power grabs and coercion of the public to comply with unconstitutional mandates.

Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green ruled in favor of plaintiffs that filed suit nearly one year ago.

The ruling establishes a critical precedent that DHSS policies instituted by unelected officials cannot abolish representative government.

In other words, a power-hungry bureaucrat cannot close a business or enforce quarantines based on their sole discretion.

Missouri has taken a monumental step towards freedom, and restrictive states should take notice.

Read more about the ruling below:

Just the News shared these details:

In an 18-page judgment, Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green ruled in favor of Shannon Robinson, B&R STL and Church of the Word, who filed suit last December. They argued DHSS policies should not be able to “abolish representative government in the creation of public health laws” and “authorize closure of a school or assembly based on the unfettered opinion of an unelected official.”

“This was definitely a line in the sand that I felt needed to be drawn,” said Ben Brown, a plaintiff who’s running for the state Senate seat of Dave Schatz, R-Sullivan. “I understand the reason why you have to have some emergency powers in the case of a natural disaster or some imminent threat. I could see why you should have some laws allowing a period of time for taking quick actions. But when things were drawn out for this long and with the granting of this level of unchecked power, I saw the potential for abuse.”

Green ruled the Director of DHSS or director of a local health agency cannot implement discretionary “control measures” including the “creation and enforcement of orders” affecting individuals, schools, organizations, businesses and other entities. He stated “closing schools and places of public assembly based solely on his/her opinion” wasn’t valid. Green cited cases in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania where judges reached similar conclusions regarding administrative orders created in connection with COVID-19.

Green said the plaintiffs provided “ample evidence” showing public health officials throughout the state used Missouri regulations to “exercise unbridled and unfettered personal authority to in effect, legislate.”

As The Hill noted, St. Louis County Executive Sam Page seemed uneasy about relinquishing the authority:

St. Louis County Executive Sam Page told the council that the mask mandate remain in place, according to the Post-Dispatch. “With winter on its way, people are spending more people inside, where respiratory viruses circulate more easily,” he said.

It is uncertain if the ruling will be appealed, but for now, the health departments must respect the ruling as law, the Post-Dispatch noted.

Read the entire 18-page ruling here.



 

Join the conversation!

Please share your thoughts about this article below. We value your opinions, and would love to see you add to the discussion!

Hey, Noah here!

Wondering where we went?

Read this and bookmark our new site!

See you over there!

Thanks for sharing!