Will the covid-related abortion ban in Texas reach the Supreme Court? When?

Here's how it may play out.

Background:

3/23: TX Gov. Greg Abbott signs exec order barring non-essential medical procedures including abortion.

3/30: district court judge Earl Yeakel issues temporary restraining order against the abortion ban

3/31: TX appeals to 5th ct, which administratively stays TRO

4/7: 5th ct votes 2-1 to reverse the TRO, letting abortion ban go back into effect.

4/8: plaintiffs back to Judge Yeakel with request for modified TRO

4/9: Yeakel grants limited TRO to allow all medication abortions & surgical abortions for women approaching 22 wks of pregnancy

What's likely to come today:

4/10 (this morning): TX returns to 5th ct to get the modified TRO reversed

4/10 (later today): 5th ct panel administratively stays the TRO once again—reinstating the full ban while it mulls the appeal

What then?

It may take another ~7 days for 5th ct to rule. In view of calendar (TX women w no abortion access, Abbott's ban set to expire on April 21) and expected outcome (same 3-judge panel will likely reverse the modified TRO) plaintiffs may opt not to wait but to go straight to SCOTUS.

That would set up a flurry of filings over the weekend/early next week and a Supreme Court order as early as the middle of next week.

The Court may not be quite as quick as it was with the covid-related Wisconsin election case (request Saturday, order Monday, 12 hours before voting began in Wisconsin) but time is of the essence here, too. Texas women seeking abortion cannot pause their pregnancies. END

p.s. Though the executive order is set to expire on April 21st, Abbott will likely extend that date.

It starts https://twitter.com/bykatesmith/status/1248657567921983496?s=21 https://twitter.com/bykatesmith/status/1248657567921983496