The US Department of Justice will go to the Supreme Court in a bid to overturn a lower court’s ruling that restricted the availability of abortion pills. The legal showdown began when pro-life groups in Texas attempted to ban chemical abortion nationwide.
The New Orleans-based 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals issued a ruling on Wednesday partially blocking a decision by Texas District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk to temporarily suspend the US Food and Drug Administration’s approval of mifepristone, a drug commonly used to terminate pregnancy.
The 5th Circuit’s ruling allowed the FDA’s authorization to remain in place, but mandated that mifepristone only be dispensed in person by qualified physicians, and only during the first seven weeks of pregnancy. The drug was previously available by mail during the first ten weeks of pregnancy.
Responding on Thursday, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced that the Justice Department “will be seeking emergency relief from the Supreme…
