NEW ORLEANS, La. (NBC) – A federal appeals court blocked part of a ruling that was issued by a Trump-appointed judge which endangers access to the abortion pill mifepristone.
Last week, U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk made a ruling suspending the Food and Drug Administration’s original approval of mifepristone, which dates to 2000.
After the ruling, the Justice Department requested to put part of Judge Kacsmaryk’s ruling on hold.
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted the Justice Department’s emergency request late Wednesday.
The appeals court said it would expedite its full consideration of the case.
The Justice Department can still ask the Supreme Court to intervene in an attempt to completely block Kacsmaryk’s ruling. However, the administration would need to win the votes of at least five of the nine justices on the court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority.
President Joe Biden’s administration and Danco, the maker of Mifeprex, which is the brand version of mifepristone, have also filed requests to put Kacsmaryk’s ruling on hold.
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