In light of the ongoing partial government shutdown, a judge ordered to stay proceedings in a lawsuit concerning the ACA's constitutionality, according to an order filed Jan. 11.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit granted the Department of Justice's request that the lawsuit be paused until government funding resumes. In a motion filed Jan. 4, Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt asked a federal judge to extend a filing deadline related to the lawsuit because Justice Department lawyers "are unable to prepare their opposition at this time due to the lapse in appropriations," according to The Hill.
The motion was in response to a motion filed by House Democrats asking a federal judge to allow the House to intervene in Texas v. United States, the 20-state lawsuit that seeks to dismantle the ACA. A group of Democratic state attorneys general is also now appealing U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor's Dec. 14 ruling that the ACA is unconstitutional.
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Government shutdown prompts Justice Department motion for extension in ACA case