On Oct. 29, the First District Court of Appeal in Florida transferred a petition from parents in Alachua and Duval counties regarding school mask mandates to lower district courts, marking a new addition to national disputes over mask mandate authority and policy implementation.

Judge Robert E. Long Jr. wrote the opinion and Judges Bradford “Brad” L. Thomas and Harvey L. Jay III concurred. The panel unanimously transferred the petition to the Eighth Judicial Circuit for Alachua County petitioners and the Fourth Judicial Circuit for Duval County petitioners.