Jan 12, 2021 - Politics & Policy

Supreme Court sides with Trump administration on abortion pill rule

Capitol Police stand guard at the Supreme Court on January 12, 2021 in Washington, DC.

Capitol Police stand guard at the Supreme Court Tuesday in Washington, D.C. Photo:y Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

The Supreme Court granted a Trump administration appeal on Tuesday and reinstated a federal requirement obligating women seeking an abortion pill to obtain the drug from a hospital or medical center in person.

Why it matters: It's the court's first ruling on abortion since the arrival of the conservative Trump-appointed Justice Amy Coney Barrett.

Details: Justices voted 6-3 in favor of the ruling, eight days before President Trump leaves office. The court's liberal justices dissented.

Of note, via AP: "The new administration could put the in-person requirement on hold after Joe Biden takes office on Jan. 20."

The big picture: The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and other groups, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, filed a lawsuit challenging over a Food and Drug Administration rule requiring the Mifeprex pill be picked up in person during a pandemic.

  • In December, a federal judge agreed with the groups and allowed the pill to be delivered via mail during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read the order, via DocumentCloud:

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.

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