PORTLAND, Maine (AP) A federal appeals court will make a ruling about whether rules designed to prevent spread of the new coronavirus in Maine are unconstitutional.

The restrictions applied by Democratic Gov. Janet Mills have been the subject of three federal lawsuits, and federal judges in Maine have ruled in favor of the governor each time. Plaintiffs have appealed to the First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston, the Portland Press Herald reported.

The lawsuits concern restrictions on gatherings, mandatory 14-day quarantine periods for visitors and restrictions on operating a business.

Maine officials have defended the state’s rules as necessary to prevent the spread of the virus, which has taken less of a toll on Maine than it has on many states.

Some of the rules have changed since the original lawsuits were filed. For example, visitors from other states can now avoid the 14-day quarantine period if they produce negative test results.

Oral arguments began in two of the cases on Wednesday.