The issue focused on federal decisions that banned medical marijuana after medical marijuana laws were legalized in California and Colorado. The Supreme Court ruling last month legalized medical marijuana in California.

As medical marijuana laws become legal in other states, federal officials have suggested they could sue in federal court to block medical marijuana laws in those states.

On Tuesday, Justice Department lawyers presented legal arguments in favor of Justice Department attorneys arguing that federal officials do not have the authority to sue states for legalizing medical marijuana.

In court papers