Afternoon Briefs: Public defender group bypasses judge; top state court upholds COVID-19 business shutdown
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Public defender group bypasses judge who rejected all release bids
The Defender Association of Philadelphia has withdrawn all its petitions for inmate release before Judge Anne Marie Coyle, after she rejected every detainee’s request over a two-day period. Coyle even increased bail for four inmates during the release hearings and allegedly told lawyers that they should be careful what they wish for. (The Philadelphia Inquirer here and here)
Top state court upholds shutdown of many businesses during coronavirus crisis
In a 4-3 decision, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court rejected a challenge this week to Gov. Tom Wolf’s order shutting down businesses that are not life sustaining during the COVID-19 pandemic. The court said Wolf had the authority to issue the order, and, given its limited and temporary nature, there was no violation of constitutional rights. (Law.com, PennLive.com via How Appealing, the majority and concurring and dissenting opinions)
Number of Asian American lawyers could stagnate by 2030
The number of Asian American lawyers will likely stagnate by 2030 as a result of their declining law school enrollment, according to a recent law review article co-authored by California Supreme Court Justice Goodwin Liu. The decline in Asian American law students has been larger than that of any other racial or ethnic group in the last decade. (Law.com, Law360)
