Last month saw South Carolina file an emergency appeal which asked that the Supreme Court allow it to enforce a transgender bathroom law despite a lower court's injunction.

Yet in a sharply divided ruling which was released this week, America's highest judicial body chose to reject that request. 

Three conservative justices dissented from decision

According to The Hill, that decision came in the form of an order which was put out on Wednesday from six of the Supreme Court's nine justices.

The order's text made clear that it did not constitute "a ruling on the merits of the legal issues presented in the litigation."

"Rather, it is based on the standards applicable for obtaining emergency relief from this Court," the unsigned order went on to stress.

The Hill pointed out the order was met with dissent from Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, and Neil Gorsuch, all of whom would have granted South Carolina's application.

Student's attorney celebrates ruling

Wednesday's order was met with celebration from Alexandra Brodsky, who serves as litigation director for Public Justice’s Students’ Civil Rights Project, which represents a student who is challenging South Carolina's law.

"This application for emergency relief concerns one ninth-grader’s restroom use," Brodsky was quoted as saying in a statement.

"Today's decision from the Supreme Court reaffirms what we all know to be true: Contrary to South Carolina’s insistence, trans students are not emergencies," she insisted.

"They are not threats. They are young people looking to learn and grow at school, despite the state-mandated hostility they too often face," Brodsky declared.

"We are so thrilled that our client will continue to be able to use boys’ restrooms while his appeal continues, and hope today’s decision will provide hope to other trans students and their families during these difficult times," the attorney went on to add.

South Carolina AG: Ruling "only creates an exception for one student"

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson expressed disappointment with the Supreme Court's decision but added that the state will "respect the process and will comply with the ruling."

"This ruling only creates an exception for one student," Wilson pointed out. "The state’s bathroom law remains in full effect for everyone else."

"We may have lost this battle, but we believe we will ultimately win the war. We will continue this fight at the Fourth Circuit and, if necessary, take it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. We are confident the law is on our side and will be upheld in the end," he went on to declare.