The issue focused on whether women who had legal abortions were protected from liability for criminal prosecution and civil fines that would have been imposed for illegal abortions.

The states all passed laws similar to the federal law.

In response, the Justice Department said in a court filing that the federal law was constitutional and that the states were legally permitted to enforce it.

The Department of Justice said in the filing that the federal law had not been struck down as unconstitutional and that the states were entitled to enforce it.