Legal Challenges to Lockdowns
There are a number of legal challenges to state-mandated lockdowns. In Ireland, an application to challenge some of Ireland’s coronavirus laws has been made by John Waters and Gemma O’Doherty; in the Northern District of Mississippi the Temple Baptist Church is challenging the city of Greenville; and in the UK businessman Simon Dolan is seeking a Judicial Review over the Government’s emergency measures and the English Democrats are also seeking a Judicial Review. To date, Simon Dolan's case has received the most publicity. Lawyers acting for him have delivered a ‘Letter Before Action’ on his behalf to the Government, giving it until May 7th to respond. Mr Dolan is seeking to challenge the Government on three main points: Whether lockdown is unlawful because the Government implemented regulations under the Public Health Act 1984 instead of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 or the Coronavirus Act 2020.The legality of the continuation of lockdown regulation, and whether the tests are too narrow, failing to take account of the economic and social impacts of lockdown.If the restrictions brought in by the Government contravene the European Convention of Human Rights, which cover the right to liberty, family life, education and property. He’s also seeking to persuade the Government to make three key policy changes that will restore some of our freedoms and get the economy ...