A federal judge has temporarily halted a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Florida’s new age-verification law for adult websites, pending the outcome of a similar case before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker granted a stay in the lawsuit on Thursday, meaning the Florida law will remain in effect while the Supreme Court considers a challenge to a similar Texas law.
The Supreme Court heard arguments in the Texas case on Wednesday, and Judge Walker stated that the high court’s decision will likely provide “substantial guidance” on key First Amendment issues relevant to the Florida case.
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The Free Speech Coalition, an adult industry organization leading the challenges to both laws, argues that the age-verification requirements violate First Amendment rights.
Judge Walker also noted that the plaintiffs waited until January 6th to seek a preliminary injunction to block the Florida law, which took effect on January 1st. This delay, he suggested, weighed in favor of granting the stay.
“This court must balance the interests of judicial economy and the asserted impact that a stay on this proceeding will have on plaintiffs’ First Amendment rights,” Walker wrote in his order. He concluded that a limited stay is appropriate to await guidance from the Supreme Court.
The Florida law, passed in 2024, requires businesses that publish or distribute a “substantial portion” of material harmful to minors to verify the age of users attempting to access such content. This has led to criticism and concerns about privacy and access to legal adult content.
The controversy surrounding the law gained national attention when Pornhub, a popular adult website, blocked access to its site for Florida users in response to the new regulations.
The stay on the Florida lawsuit will remain in effect until July 3rd or until the Supreme Court issues its ruling in the Texas case, whichever comes first. A Supreme Court decision is expected by early July.
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