Supreme Court Enjoins Federal Government From Enforcing Birth Control Mandate As to Religious Institutions

On New Year’s Eve 2013, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor—who acts as the “Circuit Justice” to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit —temporarily enjoined the imposition of a federal mandate that certain religious employers either (1) provide insurance coverage including birth control to their employees; or (2) sign and execute a form allowing a third party to provide that coverage to their employees. After weeks of speculation as to whether the injunction would soon be lifted, the full Court issued its ruling on January 24, 2013, holding that the injunction would continue during the pendency of a federal lawsuit in the District Court for the District of Colorado.