Supreme Court Finalizes Voting Rights Act Decision, Temporarily Stays Abortion Pill Ruling

The Supreme Court finalized its opinion in *Louisiana v. Callais* on Monday, following a request for immediate action. The ruling, which struck down Louisiana's congressional map, allows the state legislature to begin redrawing district lines in time for the 2026 elections. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, while Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, and Neil Gorsuch issued a concurring opinion.

The court also addressed access to mifepristone, an abortion medication. Justice Alito temporarily blocked a U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit ruling that would have reinstated a requirement for in-person dispensing of the drug. Danco Laboratories and GenBioPro, the drug's manufacturers, had requested the stay. Louisiana and the Food and Drug Administration have until Thursday to respond, and the stay expires on May 11.

In another matter, Apple requested the court to stay a mandate from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. The lower court affirmed a ruling holding Apple in civil contempt for violating an injunction related to its App Store policies. The case concerns Apple's commission on purchases of digital goods within apps downloaded from its App Store but using third-party payment systems.

Monday's actions followed the justices’ private conference on Friday. The court released a list of orders from that conference, denying review of several petitions, including a COVID-19 vaccine case brought by former NBA player John Stockton.

Separately, Reuters reported that Justice Clarence Thomas is set to become the second-longest serving Supreme Court justice on Thursday. If Thomas remains on the court until May 20, 2028, he would become the longest-serving justice in the court’s history.

Bloomberg Law reported that former clerks for the late Justice Antonin Scalia argued in 52% of the cases before the Supreme Court this term. According to the analysis, 12 former Scalia clerks, all men, appeared in 31 arguments.