A federal judge temporarily blocked a new ban on most abortions in Texax, handing a major early victory to the Biden administration as it seeks to overturn the strictest such law in the nation.
The ruling on Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman in Austin means medical professionals can once again offer abortions in Texas after about six weeks of pregnancy without fear of being sued by members of the public, at least for now.
Texas is likely to challenge the ruling, and injunctions are frequently stayed by federal appeals courts. The U.S. Supreme Court may have the final say on the injunction and eventually on the law itself.