COVID-19 case delays Michigan Supreme Court hearing on Whitmer's emergency powers

The Michigan Supreme Court will postpone by a week oral arguments over Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's emergency powers as a court assistant struggles with COVID-19. 

The arguments regarding a challenge to Whitmer's legal authority to extend an emergency without the approval of the Legislature will be postponed from Wednesday to Sept. 9, the court said in a Thursday statement. 

The court assistant fighting COVID-19 is an "indispensable" team member who helps Justice Richard Bernstein, who is blind, "to review and internalize thousands of pages of material," Bernstein said in a statement. 

"The work he does with me takes extensive time and effort and cannot be done without him," Bernstein said. "As a former college athlete, he doesn’t stop for anything, but the symptoms of this illness are slowing him down."

The hearing will be live-streamed Sept. 9. 

eleblanc@detroitnews.com