Governor Gretchen Whitmer has appealed a federal judge's ruling that allows indoor gyms in Michigan to reopen this Thursday.
Indoor gyms to reopen in Michigan under order from federal judge
Whitmer filed the response in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday. The plaintiffs in the case, the League of Independent Fitness Facilities and Trainers, responded to the motion Monday.
It's not known when the court will rule on the governor's motion.
The appeal comes after an opinion published Friday by U.S. District Court Judge Paul Maloney, who said the state presented a "blanket 'trust us' statement that is insufficient to uphold a no-longer-blanket rule" in ordering gyms to remain open.
Under the order, all gyms with indoor facilities in the state will be allowed to open on Thursday, June 25 at 12:01 a.m.
The lawsuit by the League of Independent Fitness Facilities and Trainers, Inc. continues to await a full hearing in the Western District Court in Grand Rapids.
“With this ruling, the court is playing a dangerous role it should not play: second-guessing and upending the data-informed decisions that have saved thousands of lives in Michigan," Whitmer said in a statement previously. "The idea that gyms – with their high levels of heavy respiratory activity, shared indoor spaces, and shared surfaces – might be one of the later businesses to come back online in the midst of this global pandemic is hardly surprising and highly sensible.”
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