The Governor of Pennsylvania’s pandemic-related legal headaches might be over (for now). Plaintiffs were Pennsylvania citizens, elected officials, and businesses. They challenged directives issued by the Governor of Pennsylvania: stay-at-home orders, business closure orders, and orders setting congregation limits in secular settings. The District Court concluded that the orders violated the U.S. Constitution, and Defendants appealed. While the appeal was pending, circumstances changed. An amendment to the Pennsylvania Constitution and a concurrent resolution of the Commonwealth’s General Assembly now restricts the Governor’s authority to enter the same orders. Additionally, the challenged orders have expired. The Third Circuit ruled that those changed circumstances rendered the appeal moot, and no exception to the mootness doctrine applied. Therefore, the Court dismissed the appeal.
