The Supreme Court’s pandemic docket was very hot this week; actually, just in the past three days.
On Wednesday, the court denied the writ petition in Marshall v. Superior Court that requested an order protecting inmates at Sacramento County’s two jails from the COVID-19 virus. The denial, which came over a Justice Goodwin Liu dissent, was without prejudice to the superior court acting on a similar petition pending there or to “the filing of a new petition in this court raising similar claims if circumstances warrant.”
On Thursday, the court made unprecedented orders regarding bar admissions. It postponed the next bar exam for a second time and directed it be conducted online, permanently lowered the exam’s passing score, and ordered a temporary provisional licensure program for 2020 law school graduates that will last at least two years.
And today, in Legislature of the State of California v. Padilla, the court extended constitutionally and statutorily imposed deadlines for California’s Citizens Redistricting Commission to produce and certify Congressional, state legislative, and Board of Equalization district maps for the 2022 election.
Of course, that was only pandemic related stuff. The court also affirmed a death penalty on Monday, conferenced as usual on Wednesday, filed a “regular” opinion yesterday, and today announced that another opinion will file Monday.