eli5 What does it mean when a court “temporary blocks” a law, an agenda, etc. and what’s the purpose of it?
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A “temporary block” is called a preliminary injunction. It’s preliminary because it happens before the trial. It’s an injunction because the person, company, or government being sued is blocked from doing something. This doesn’t happen in most trials. Ordinarily, nothing is decided until the court hears the full case and the judge or jury decides the truth of the matter.
The purpose is to prevent irreparable harm to the person suing. Something like your neighbor “borrowing” your lawnmower for weeks at a time is repairable. After the trial, the judge forces them to give it back and awards some money in damages. There’s no need to take extraordinary steps before trial.
Now consider something more time sensitive like the recent abortion restrictions. Pregnant people sue and ask for a preliminary injunction to prevent the government from outlawing the medical procedure. If forced to wait until the end of the trial, the case is moot. There will be a child. No amount of money can turn back the clock. Their life will be irrevocably changed.
If the person suing can show an irreparable level of harm, then the judge looks at the merits of the case. If the initial argument looks legally strong enough, the judge will grant the injunction. The wheels of justice turn slowly, and this lets the plaintiff get some relief while they do.
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