KTLA

L.A. County appeals ruling that blocked extension of its outdoor dining ban

Chairs are stacked on top of tables at an El Torito restaurant in Woodland Hills during a state ban on dining at restaurants. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Los Angeles County on Thursday appealed a judge’s decision that barred an extension of its temporary ban on outdoor dining, calling the ruling “plainly erroneous and directly contrary to governing law.”

L.A. County Superior Court Judge James Chalfant ruled last week that the county should not be allowed to continue the ban indefinitely and would need to provide a risk-benefit analysis to justify the restriction if it wanted to extend the ban beyond its initial three weeks, which ended Wednesday.

The Department of Public Health, which issued the order in late November, said the law is clearly on its side.

“The law says that in a public health crisis, the health officer must act urgently and swiftly to stop the transmission of disease and to protect public health and safety,” department officials said in a statement.

Read the full story on LATimes.com.