The lower-court ruling barred individuals in seven states from bringing lawsuits claiming racial discrimination under the landmark law.

The Supreme Court on Thursday paused a lower court ruling limiting the ability of private individuals to bring lawsuits over potential violations of the Voting Rights Act. The case could be heard by the justices on the merits in the coming term.

An appeals court had ruled only the federal government can sue to enforce a key provision of the landmark Voting Rights Act, contrary to decades of precedent.