In a ruling today, a unanimous Eighth Circuit panel, in an admirably clear and straightforward opinion by Judge Roger L. Wollman (a Reagan appointee), delivered an important victory to challengers of the so-called HHS mandate “accommodation.” Affirming the district court’s ruling, the appellate panel held that two nonprofit religious organizations are entitled to a preliminary injunction against the accommodation.

The Eighth Circuit’s ruling creates a conflict among the circuit courts and thus makes it very likely that the Supreme Court will grant review in one of the cases to resolve the conflict.