The owners of a gym in New Jersey have sued Gov. Phil Murphy and the state in federal court, saying the shutdown order is unconstitutional and threatens their businesses' survival, reports The Courier Post.
Atilis Gym in Bellmawr, New Jersey, was shut down by the health department last week after it reopened due to plumbing issues. The owners have been cited several times by the state for defying the state executive order, and the suit says the gym's doors were padlocked Saturday.
"The stakes for immediate relief . . . could not be higher," said the suit, filed Tuesday in Camden federal court by attorney Christopher Arzberger on behalf of co-owners Ian Smith and Frank Trumbetti.
The lawsuit also contends the gym is "absolutely essential to the health and well-being of its members and to the financial viability and health of its owners and employees."
The gym, shuttered March 21 by an executive order that included closures of non-essential businesses, reopened May 16"due to its dire and crippling financial situation," says the lawsuit.
On a GoFundMe page, Smith said the gym did not qualify for any government assistance due to COVID-19.
The 14,000-square-foot gym imposed a 20% limit on its capacity, reconfigured equipment to allow for proper social distancing and required gym members to wear face coverings and to have their temperature scanned at the entrance.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.