State Loses Court Fight Over Welfare Benefits

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gavel947-8

An appeals court has ruled against the state of Michigan in a dispute over cutting off public aid to some people accused of crimes. In 2015, a federal judge in Ann Arbor said the state can’t stop food aid and other benefits unless someone is intentionally fleeing and is being actively
pursued by police. Judge Judith Levy had put limits on a Michigan policy that was causing severe hardships, especially when law enforcement databases contained wrong or misleading information. In a 3-0 decision Thursday, a federal appeals court in Cincinnati affirmed Levy’s ruling. The class-action lawsuit has affected thousands of people.