NEW YORK, N.Y. – It’s up to a judge whether a first-of-its-kind size limit on sodas and other sugary drinks will take effect in three weeks.

Beverage-makers and sellers, seeking to hold off enforcement while a lawsuit plays out, faced off in court Wednesday with city officials. Manhattan state Supreme Court Justice Milton Tingling didn’t immediately rule or say when he would.

With the regulation set to go into effect March 12, the beverage industry and eateries say businesses could end up squandering money complying with the regulation if a court ultimately throws it out.

“What’s the rush? Is the city so worried that one more person is going to gain another pound, or two pounds, or 10 pounds, that they have to come out with their enforcement now?” asked Steven Molo, a lawyer for groups representing Korean-American deli owners and Hispanic-owned eateries.

The city, meanwhile, says there’s no time to waste in launching what officials and health experts call a novel effort to lessen obesity with huge costs of its own, measured in health problems and hospital bills.

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