How the Coronavirus Crisis Reveals Weaknesses Not Just in America’s Public Health Systems But in Our Constitutional Doctrines

VIKRAM DAVID AMAR

Illinois Law dean and professor Vikram David Amar explains how the current crisis caused by the novel coronavirus reveals flaws in both America’s public health system and also in the country’s constitutional doctrines. Responding in part to Professor Michael C. Dorf’s column of March 15 urging uniform federal restrictions, Amar expresses doubt as to whether Congress’s powers under Article I of the Constitution permit imposition of such a lockdown in the first place.

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Paquette v. Department of Corrections

Citation: 2020 ME 37

Opinion Date: March 31, 2020

Judge: Per Curiam

Areas of Law: Civil Procedure, Government & Administrative Law

The Supreme Judicial Court dismissed as moot this appeal from the decision of the superior court dismissing Appellant's petition against the Maine Department of Corrections for failure to serve the Department pursuant to Me. Rev. Stat. 5, 11003(1), holding that events in the superior court had overtaken this appeal, rendering it moot. After Appellant filed this action, the trial court, treating the action as a petition for review of agency action, issued Appellant an order requiring him to show cause why his appeal should not be dismissed for failure to serve the Department. The court ultimately dismissed the petition for insufficient service of process. After Appellant's appeal was docketed, Appellant filed a motion asserting that the Department had acknowledged receipt of process. The court then negated its dismissal of Appellant's action. Therefore, the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal as moot.

In re Involuntary Treatment of K.

Citation: 2020 ME 39

Opinion Date: March 31, 2020

Judge: Per Curiam

Areas of Law: Criminal Law, Health Law

The Supreme Judicial Court dismissed as moot Appellant's appeal from a judgment entered by the superior court ordering the involuntary medical treatment of Appellant, holding that because Appellant was no longer subject to the court's involuntary treatment order, this appeal was moot. Appellant was arrested and charged with burglary and theft by unauthorized taking. While Appellant was in preconviction detention at the mental health unit of the Maine State Prison (MSP) the Department of Corrections filed an application pursuant to Me. Rev. Stat. 34-A, 3049 seeking the involuntary medication of Appellant. The court entered an ex parte order granting the emergency application and permitting the immediate medication of Appellant for a period of 120 days. Appellant appealed. The Supreme Judicial Court dismissed the appeal as moot, holding that because Appellant was no longer at the mental health unit of the MSP and the involuntary treatment order had expired, the appeal was moot and no exceptions to the mootness doctrine applied.

Strand v. Velandry

Citation: 2020 ME 38

Opinion Date: March 31, 2020

Judge: Andrew M. Mead

Areas of Law: Real Estate & Property Law

The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the judgment of the district court partitioning real property in Kittery held by Toralf Strand and Sabrina Velandry as tenants in common, holding that the court did not err in dividing equally the value of the property after crediting Strand with the amount his spent for insurance, repairs, improvements, and real estate taxes. In 2014, Strand signed a purchase and sale agreement solely in his name to buy the house and included Velandry on the deed as a tenant in common. After the parties separated, Strand filed a complaint for equitable partition of the property pursuant to 14 Me. Rev. Stat. 6051(7). The court awarded Strand the amount his spent on insurance, improvements, repairs, and real estate taxes and then divided the property's remaining appraisal value equally between Strand and Velandry. The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed, holding (1) because the court found that Strand did not condition Velandry's interest as a tenant in common on her agreement to pay Strand half of the property's purchase price, the court did not err in applying the presumption of equal ownership and entering judgment accordingly; and (2) the court did not clearly err in disallowing certain of Strand's claimed credits and set-off.