Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk issued a preliminary ruling in a closely watched Texas case that could make it harder for patients to get abortions throughout the country.
The Texas judge’s ruling was quickly contradicted by another federal judge in Washington State who ordered the F.D.A. to keep mifepristone available.
The judge said he would decide soon whether to issue a preliminary injunction ordering the F.D.A. to withdraw its approval of the drug or wait for the full trial.
Saying he wanted safe and orderly proceedings, Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk asked lawyers not to disclose the hearing and planned to add it to the public case file only the evening before.