The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed women to continue to access the abortion pill mifepristone through telehealth visits, maintaining the status quo while officials in Louisiana continue to push for limiting availability of the drug in lower courts.
The conservative Supreme Court imposed a pause on a May 1 decision from the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals that abruptly required women to obtain the drug through in-person visits. The focus will now return to the New Orleans-based appeals court, which will decide the merits of Louisiana’s challenge.
The court did not explain its reasoning, nor did it disclose the vote count. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented.
The order landed nearly half an hour after an earlier “administrative” stay extending widespread access to the drug expired at 5 p.m. ET.
“The court’s unreasoned order granting stays in this case is remarkable,” Alito wrote in his dissent.
