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Wisconsin court to hear arguments

MADISON, Wis. (AP) –î The Wisconsin Supreme Court announced Friday that it will hear oral arguments early next week in a lawsuit seeking to block Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ stay-at-home order.

The justices ruled 6-1 to accept the case and scheduled oral arguments for Tuesday morning via video conference. The arguments are expected to last at least 90 minutes.

Conservatives hold a 5-2 majority on the court. Liberal Justice Rebecca Dallet cast the lone dissenting vote.

Evers initially issued the stay-at-home order in March. It was supposed to expire on April 24 but state Department of Health Services Secretary Andrea Palm extended it until May 26 at Evers’ direction.

Republican legislators have argued that the order is really an administrative rule, and Palm should have submitted it to the Legislature for approval before issuing it.

Wisconsin’s confirmed coronavirus cases increased by 460 on Friday, the second day in a row of record-high infections, the state Department of Health Services reported.

The spike also marked the second day in a row that positive cases increased as a percentage of overall tests processed.

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