RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — The Supreme Court of Virginia has dismissed a lawsuit from a group of parents in Chesapeake who sued over Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s mask-optional executive order in schools, but the justices did not weigh in on whether the governor’s order is legal.

The lawsuit aimed to have Youngkin’s order put on hold before it went into effect on Jan. 24, arguing the policy went against a state law that calls for each school board to implement guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “to the maximum extent practicable.”

An Arlington Circuit Court judge temporarily blocked the executive order on Friday after ruling in favor of seven school boards that made a similar legal argument in another lawsuit. The decision from the state’s Supreme Court does not impact the temporary injunction.

The justices did not touch on the legality of the executive order in a decision issued Monday, instead opting to reject the lawsuit on procedural grounds. The high court ruled that the legal remedy sought by the group, a writ of mandamus, did not apply in the case.

“Absent an explicit command that Governor Youngkin take definite positive action in conformity with a mandatory and ministerial duty, mandamus cannot control or restrict his effort to influence school masking requirements, even if such effort is unlawful,” the justices wrote.

Even though the justices did not offer a legal opinion on the order, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares lauded the decision as “a victory for Virginia families” in a statement Monday.

“The Governor and I are pleased with today’s ruling. At the beginning of this pandemic, Governor Northam used his broad emergency powers to close places of worship, private businesses, and schools and impose a statewide mask mandate,” Miyares said. “Nearly two years later, we have better risk mitigation strategies and vaccines, and we know much more about the efficacy of requiring children to wear masks all day.”

Kevin Martingayle, the attorney representing the parents, wrote in an email to 8News that the petition was rejected on procedural issues, and “this is far from over,” pointing to a footnote at the end of the court’s ruling.

The justices write in the footnote that “by this dismissal, we offer no opinion on the legality of EO 2 or any other issue pertaining to petitioners’ claims.”

Hours after he was sworn into office, Youngkin followed up on a campaign promise and signed an order giving parents an option to opt-out of local school mask mandates.

The Youngkin administration said the state would appeal the decision in Arlington Circuit Court that temporarily halted the executive order.

This story is developing. Check back for updates.