U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman already signaled she would block the restrictions nationwide, but she did not have jurisdiction at the time because the case rested with an appeals court.
Last week, the appeals court sent the case back to Boardman so she could issue the ruling.
The new phase of litigation follows the Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision along ideological lines curtailing judges’ ability to issue universal injunctions. The high court still left the door open for nationwide blocks when needed to provide plaintiffs “complete relief” or when judges certify a nationwide class action.
Boardman insisted she was not “resurrecting” a universal injunction and Thursday’s ruling “comports with old and recent Supreme Court precedent.”