“He said the commissioners have to vote to appropriate county funds for the machines within a reasonable time or the high court could hold them in contempt.”
Illegal as hell in a sane world. “I am ordering you to vote this way”. Does it have to be unanimous? Do no votes get held in contempt?
I think I would flip the court the finger and go with contempt.
If you are ordered to “vote” a certain way under duress, it’s no longer a “vote”, is it.
Pull an Obama...
“Present”.
The Commissioners should hold the Court in Executive contempt.
You make a most excellent point. More than one in fact.
Duress!
Also, something about separation of powers .....
Maybe the commissioners could claim “conscientious objector” status.
Thanks for posting.
A judge ordering a vote to go a certain way is tyranny.
Totalitarianism.