The Washington Post reports:
The Texas judge who could undo government approval of a key abortion drug has scheduled the first hearing in the case for Wednesday but took unusual steps to keep it from being publicized, according to people familiar with the plans.
The hearing will be an opportunity for lawyers for the Justice Department, the company that makes the drug and the conservative group that is challenging it to argue their positions before U.S. District Court Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk. After they do, the judge could rule at any time.
Kacsmaryk scheduled the hearing during a call with attorneys Friday. Kacsmaryk said he would delay putting the hearing on the public docket until late Tuesday to try to minimize disruptions and possible protests, and asked the lawyers on the call not to share information about it before then.
Read the full article.
The suit was filed by the anti-LGBTQ hate group, the Alliance Defending Freedom.
Before being nominated by Trump, Kacsmaryk worked for the anti-LGBTQ hate group, the First Liberty Institute.
In January, he advanced a challenge to the right to access contraception.
SCOOP: Judge Kacsmaryk has scheduled a hearing Wednesday in the abortion pills case — and tried to keep it under wraps, citing security concerns. It is highly unusual to intentionally delay posting a hearing to the public docket.
W/ @amarimow @PerryStein https://t.co/4J4eIqlpfT
— Caroline Kitchener (@CAKitchener) March 12, 2023
Folks, this is extremely, *extremely* irregular. Holding court hearings in secret is MASSIVELY disfavored.
The right of the public to know and attend what’s being decided in our courts is a core feature of the American judicial system.
This is bad.https://t.co/3EXKTQREuv
— Gabriel Malor (@gabrielmalor) March 12, 2023