The Supreme Court on Monday heard a case involving Texas' new law that bans abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, and appears to be leaning toward blocking the law.

Four of the nine members on the highest court -- Chief Justice John Roberts and the three liberal justices -- had voted previously to halt enforcement of the Texas Heartbeat Act, which makes no exception for rape or incest.

Two conservative justices appointed by former president Donald Trump -- Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett -- appeared inclined after two hours of oral arguments to also vote to block the novel Texas law. 

Last month the high court declined to issue an injunction that would have blocked the law from taking effect as the case was being decided. The litigation, however, is moving at an unusually fast pace, as the justices agreed to step in only 10 days ago. 

The court agreed to weigh in after President Biden's Department of Justice (DOJ)  called the bill 'clearly unconstitutional' and sued the Lonestar State. 

The Supreme Court is hearing appeals from both the DOJ and abortion providers. 

Texas solicitor general Judd Stone argued that the federal government and abortion providers do not have the legal standing to sue the state and that Texas officials cannot be defendants before the law has even been enforced. 

The Texas Heartbeat Act, or SB 8, took effect two months ago, and outcries rippled across the nation. The law bans doctors from performing abortions once a heartbeat is detected, at around 6 weeks. It does not contain exceptions for cases of rape or incest.