Supreme Court spokeswoman Patricia McCabe confirmed that a document was “inadvertently and briefly uploaded” to the court’s website, clarifying that the official ruling has not yet been released.
According to Bloomberg, the Supreme Court seems poised to permit emergency room doctors in Idaho to perform abortions under certain circumstances. This development follows a leaked document indicating that the court is likely to dismiss the appeal by Idaho officials. If this occurs, a lower court ruling favoring the Biden administration will be reinstated. Bloomberg also reported that conservative Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Neil Gorsuch have expressed objections to this outcome.
In August 2022, the federal government filed a lawsuit resulting in a federal judge blocking Idaho from enforcing certain provisions related to the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). This 1986 law mandates appropriate emergency room care for patients. The Biden administration contended that this care should include abortions in specific situations where a woman’s health is at risk, even if her life is not immediately threatened.
The Supreme Court is expected to issue rulings on Thursday and Friday as it concludes its current term. Among the remaining cases is the high-profile abortion case, one of 12 yet to be decided.