An abortion ban that went into effect in Texas last September will remain as such for the foreseeable future, after a federal appeals court sent a case challenging the ban to the state’s Supreme Court, dealing the abortion clinics challenging the law a small defeat. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, which is perceived as a conservative appellate court, in a 2-to-1 decision, sent the case to the Texas Supreme Court. “The unresolved questions of state law must be certified to the Texas Supreme Court,” wrote Judge Edith Jones, joined by Judge Stuart Kyle Duncan. Jones was nominated by President Ronald Reagan, and Duncan was nominated by President Donald Trump. The decision effectively delays a legal challenge by abortion clinics against the Texas Heartbeat Act, also known as Senate Bill 8 (SB 8). The abortion ban, which applies after a heartbeat is detected—usually around six weeks after conception—unless a medical …