Last evening, the Fifth Circuit stayed Pitman's ruling to block the Texas Heartbeat Act. A 3-judge panel consisting of Fifth Circuit Justices Catharina Haynes, James Ho and Carl Stewart ordered in their two-paragraph ruling that the injunction be halted. SB 8 is now again in effect and unborn babies with a detectable heartbeat, usually at six weeks of a pregnancy, are protected. The U.S. Department of Justice on behalf of Plaintiff the United States of America has until 5:00 PM this Tuesday, October 12, 2021, to respond.