The governor of Georgia sued the mayor of Atlanta over it. And a similar issue spurred a class-action lawsuit against retailer Nike Inc.

Now, court-watchers are noticing an emerging trend: Hotly debated mask mandates, which generated litigation throughout the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, are beginning to make their way to appellate courts.

Mary-Christine "M.C." Sungaila, shareholder at Buchalter in Orange County, California. Courtesy photo Mary-Christine “M.C.” Sungaila, shareholder at Buchalter in Orange County, California. (Courtesy photo)