Gov. Charlie Baker’s power during the pandemic was first up before the SJC Friday — where “winners and losers” in the crippled economy was debated along with the Legislature appearing to surrender control to the governor.

The state Supreme Judicial Court must now rule if Baker overstepped his authority by issuing executive orders mostly under the Civil Defense Act instead of the Public Health Act. It comes as the state’s 16.1% unemployment rate in July was the highest in the nation.

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