The Coronavirus Pandemic Puts the Courts into Unchartered Territory
This is the eigth in a series of blog posts, about judicial systems’ response to the coronavirus outbreak (SARS-CoV-2 is its technical name; Covid-19 is the disease it causes)and the justice systems’ active participation in a whole-of-society-approach (WOSA) to national security and safety threats such as Covid-19. Last updated April 1. The coronavirus pandemic has made it abundantly clear that existential threats to our national safety and welfare requires not only a whole-of-government but a whole-of-society approach that joins government, private industry, non-profit organization, foundations, and academia. What is required of courts and justice systems is not just vigorous efforts to assure continuity of operations and access to services but a proactive response that identifies risks and vulnerabilities as the virus spreads. Two such risks and vulnerabilities are noncompliance with laws, and restrictions of rights and civil liberties. Social Disorder and Violations of La...