NEW JERSEY – The right-to-die law that took effect only two weeks ago is on hold.

A judge has stopped the legislation Gov. Phil Murphy signed in the spring that, he says, will allow terminally ill New Jersey adults to end their lives peacefully, with dignity and at their own discretion. The Murphy administration confirmed the judge's decision to Patch on Thursday. The bill, which was sponsored by Democratic Assemblyman John Burzichelli and Senator Nick Scutari, made New Jersey the eighth state to allow such end-of-life decisions with the assistance of medical professionals.

Now doctors will be stopped from writing prescriptions intended to assist terminally ill patients. The restraining order was requested by Yosef Glassman, a doctor, and was filed against Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, saying the law will cause "immediate and irreparable damage" to the state. It's not clear when the courts will revist the law, but documents suggest that it may not come for weeks, in September. The reason for the decision also was not clear in court documents signed by state Superior Court Judge Paul Innes on Wednesday.

Burzichelli told Patch that he hopes the decision will be reversed quickly. "We know that this is sound law," he said. The bill has had its opponents. At least one Catholic leader has vocally opposed the new law, saying the legislation "follows a dangerous and frightening trend and is a brazen attack against the sanctity of human life."

Bishop James F. Checchio of the Metuchen Archdiocese issued the following statement on the passage of the Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act, which was signed into law by Murphy on April 12 and enacted on Aug. 1:

"The passage of the Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act was a sad day for our diocese and the Church in New Jersey, which has battled against its passage since 2012, when the bill was first introduced. The passage of this legislation follows a dangerous and frightening trend and is a brazen attack against the sanctity of human life."