Justices take up Texas abortion law in fast-tracked hearing

Two months after allowing Texas to ban most abortions, the Supreme Court will take a closer look at the novel state law deliberately designed to evade federal review.

Exactly two months after allowing Texas to impose a near-total ban on abortions, the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday will take a closer look at the groundbreaking state law deliberately designed by its sponsors to evade constitutional review in federal court.

SB8, which outlaws most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, has succeeded -- at least temporarily -- because it is enforced through an unprecedented scheme that deputizes private citizens to bring lawsuits against anyone who "aids or abets" an unlawful abortion.

The arrangement has made it difficult for abortion clinics, patients and their advocates to preemptively show concrete harm in court and identify whom, specifically, a court should enjoin from bringing lawsuits.

During two hours of scheduled oral arguments, which will be livestreamed to the public, the justices are expected to examine whether abortion rights advocates and the federal government have the ability to sue Texas over the law given the way it's designed.