U.S. abortion rights proponents file wave of lawsuits challenging bans

[onthedarkside]

 

Abortion rights activists have quickly filed a slew of lawsuits in states with trigger bans on abortions that went into effect following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade last week.

 

Lawsuits have so far been filed by organizations like Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in about half of the 13 states that had trigger laws dependent on the overturning of Roe.

 

In Mississippi, where the state government brought forward the case that ultimately resulted in the Supreme Court overturning Roe, the Jackson Women’s Health Organization filed a lawsuit on Monday seeking to prevent Mississippi from activating its trigger ban, which would prohibit all abortions unless the mother’s life is in danger or a rape was reported to law enforcement.

 

(more)

 

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/3538696-abortion-rights-proponents-file-wave-of-lawsuits-challenging-bans/

 

 

 

[onthedarkside]

Abortions up to six weeks of pregnancy can temporarily resume in Texas, judge rules

A ban in effect before Roe v. Wade cannot be used, as threatened last week by Attorney General Ken Paxton, according to a judge’s ruling Tuesday. However, the stopgap measure will, at most, extend abortion access in the state for two months

 

Abortions up to about six weeks in pregnancy can resume at some clinics in Texas for now after a Harris County District Court judge granted a temporary restraining order that blocks an abortion ban that was in place before Roe v. Wade.

 

In the ruling issued Tuesday, Judge Christine Weems ruled that the pre-Roe abortion ban “is repealed and may not be enforced consistent with the due process guaranteed by the Texas constitution.”

 

“It is a relief that this Texas state court acted so quickly to block this deeply harmful abortion ban,” Marc Hearron, senior counsel at the Center for Reproductive Rights, said in a press release. “This decision will allow abortion services to resume at many clinics across the state, connecting Texans to the essential health care they need. Every hour that abortion is accessible in Texas is a victory.

 

(more)

 

https://www.texastribune.org/2022/06/28/texas-abortion-resume/

 

 

[onthedarkside]

Blue-city prosecutors in red states vow not to press charges over abortions

They're part of a coalition of district attorneys promising to protect those seeking and providing abortions in the wake of the Dobbs ruling

 

Dozens of elected prosecutors across the country — including a number representing blue cities nestled inside red states — are pledging to not press charges against patients or providers over abortion in the wake of Friday’s Supreme Court ruling giving states full control over abortion policy.

 

So far, 84 district attorneys and other prosecutors from 29 states and territories and Washington, D.C., have signed the statement distributed by Fair and Just Prosecution. Altogether, the officials represent jurisdictions covering 87 million Americans, according to the organization.

 

Significantly, the signatories include district attorneys in states like Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas — all Republican-controlled states with abortion “trigger bans” set to activate within a month, now that the Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade. Other prosecutors have also joined in via public statements online.

 

(more)

 

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/06/26/blue-city-prosecutors-in-red-states-vow-not-to-press-charges-over-abortions-00042415

 

https://fairandjustprosecution.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/FJP-Post-Dobbs-Abortion-Joint-Statement.pdf