Court rules against petition to reopen brothels, which have been shut down for nearly 10 months

In a setback for efforts to open the doors to Nevada brothels, a Lyon County judge denied Bunny Ranch sex worker Alice Little’s petition in her lawsuit against Gov. Steve Sisolak’s closure order.

District Judge Leon Aberasturi of the Third Judicial District Court cited Little’s status as an independent contractor as a reason for the denial of Little’s request for a preliminary injunction, stating that she cannot represent the interests of brothel owners, who would bear responsibility for reopening their establishments amid a pandemic.

“In summary, the Court heard no testimony from the brothel owners that they have a problem with what the Directives did to their businesses,” concludes the order issued Monday by Aberasturi. “The owners would have the burden to comply with any regulations. The Court will not issue an advisory opinion or entertain generalized grievances.”

Brothels, located across seven counties in the state, have been closed since mid-March per Sisolak’s state orders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving Nevada sex workers without legal work for nearly 10 months.

Read more: https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/court-rules-against-petition-to-reopen-brothels-which-have-been-shut-down-for-nearly-10-months