Judge – REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS ALERTS

07 Sep

Missouri abortion-rights amendment could be axed from the ballot after ruling

MollyLatest News, United StatesAbortion Rights, Amendment, Ballot, Healthcare, Judge, Missouri, Ruling, United States

"A Missouri judge on Friday ruled that an abortion-rights campaign did not meet legal requirements to qualify for the November ballot, potentially thwarting a yearslong effort to undo the state's near-total abortion ban. But Cole County Circuit Judge Christopher Limbaugh stopped short of removing the measure from the ballot. Instead, he gave the abortion-rights campaign a chance to file a last-minute appeal before Tuesday's deadline to make changes to the Missouri ballot...."

02 Aug

AZ Supreme Court judge recuses himself over ruling on anti-abortion group involving his wife

MollyLatest News, United StatesAnti-abortion group, Arizona, Judge, recusal, State Supreme Court, United Sates

“Supreme Court Justice Clint Bolick has taken himself off the case of whether the Legislative Council -- a panel that includes his wife, Shawnna -- acted improperly in using the words "unborn human being'' in a description of an abortion ballot measure. The move was in a footnote in a scheduling order issued by the court Wednesday. That order provided no reason….”

24 Jul

North Dakota judge will decide whether to throw out a challenge to the state’s abortion ban

MollyLatest News, United StatesAbortion Ban, Abortion Care, Health care, Judge, Minnesota, North Dakota, Red River Women's Clinic, Ruling, United States

"Attorneys argued Tuesday over whether a North Dakota judge should toss a lawsuit challenging the state's abortion ban, with the state saying the plaintiffs' case rests on hypotheticals, and the plaintiffs saying key issues remain to be resolved at a scheduled trial. State District Judge Bruce Romanick said he will rule as quickly as he can, but he also asked the plaintiffs' attorney what difference he would have at the court trial in August. The Red River Women's Clinic, which moved from Fargo to neighboring Moorhead, Minnesota, filed the lawsuit challenging the state's now-repealed trigger ban soon after the fall…

30 May

Planned Parenthood asks judge to expand health exception to Indiana abortion ban

MollyLatest News, United StatesAbortion Ban, Health Exception, Indiana, Judge, Planned Parenthood, United States

"Abortion providers are asking an Indiana trial judge this week to broaden access to abortions under the state's near-total ban. Indiana law allows for abortion in rare circumstances, including when the health or life of the woman is at risk, but only at a hospital...."

20 May

Ohio voters approved reproductive rights. Will the state’s near-ban on abortion stand?

MollyLatest News, United StatesAbortion, Abortion Ban, Constitution, Judge, Ohio, Reproductive rights, Ruling, United States, Voting

"A county judge could rule as early as Monday on Ohio's law banning virtually all abortions, a decision that will take into consideration the decision by voters to enshrine reproductive rights in the state constitution. The 2019 law under consideration by Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Christian Jenkins bans most abortions once cardiac activity can be detected, which can be as early as six weeks into pregnancy, before many women are aware...."

20 Mar

Nevada judge blocks state from limiting Medicaid coverage for abortions

MollyLatest News, United StatesAbortion Rights, coverage, Department of Health and Human Services, equal rights protections, Judge, legislation, Medicaid, Nevada, United States, Written order

"A Nevada judge has struck down the state’s limits on Medicaid coverage for abortion services, saying the restrictions violate equal rights protections. Clark County District Judge Erika Ballou said Tuesday from the bench that she planned to issue a written order at a later date directing the state Department of Health and Human Services to grant Medicaid coverage for all abortions. Currently, Nevada’s Medicaid program only covers abortions for pregnancies that are life-threatening or result from rape or incest...."

24 Jan

North Dakota judge denies request to temporarily block part of abortion law for doctors

MollyLatest News, United StatesAbortion Care, Abortion laws, Healthcare, Judge, legislation, life saving care, North Dakota, Reproductive healthcare, Temporary block, United States

"A North Dakota judge on Tuesday denied a temporary block on a part of the state's revised abortion laws so that doctors can perform the procedure to save a patient's life or health. State District Judge Bruce Romanick said the request for a preliminary injunction "is not appropriate and the Plaintiffs have presented no authority for the Court to grant the specific relief requested." The request asked the judge to bar the state from enforcing the law against physicians who use their "good-faith medical judgment" to perform an abortion because of complications that could pose "a risk of infection, hemorrhage,…

23 Dec

Wisconsin is not out of the woods on abortion

MollyUnited StatesAbortion Ban, Abortion Rights, appeal, consensual abortion, District attorney, felony, historic ban, Judge, legislation, United States, Wisconsin

"Wisconsinites breathed a sigh of relief this month when Dane County Judge Diane Schlipper ruled that our 1849 “abortion ban” doesn’t actually apply to consensual abortions. On the strength of that ruling, Planned Parenthood has begun offering abortion services again at clinics in Madison, Milwaukee, and Sheboygan for the first time since the 2022 Dobbs decision ending federally protected abortion rights. But the battle over abortion rights isn’t over. Sheboygan District Attorney Joel Urmanski is appealing Schlipper’s ruling, pushing for a full felony abortion ban. Urmanski previously promised to prosecute anyone involved in providing an abortion under the 1849 law...."

21 Dec

North Dakota judge to decide whether to temporarily block part of abortion law that limits doctors

MollyUnited StatesAbortion Care, Abortion law, Abortion News, Doctors, Healthcare, Judge, legislation, Limitations, North Dakota, United States

"A North Dakota judge said Wednesday he will decide soon whether to temporarily block a part of the state's revised abortion laws so doctors can perform the procedure to save a patient's life or health. The request for a preliminary injunction asks state District Court Judge Bruce Romanick to bar the state from enforcing the law against physicians who use their “good-faith medical judgment” to perform an abortion because of pregnancy complications that could pose "a risk of infection, hemorrhage, high blood pressure, or which otherwise makes continuing a pregnancy unsafe.”

09 Dec

Ken Paxton asks Texas Supreme Court to stop Dallas woman from getting an abortion

MollyUnited StatesAbortion, Abortion Care, Healthcare, Judge, Nonviable Pregnancy, State Supreme Court, Texas, United States

"Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has asked the state Supreme Court to intervene and stop a Dallas woman from having an abortion. Paxton’s office petitioned the high court just before midnight Thursday, after a Travis County district judge granted a temporary restraining order allowing Kate Cox, 31, to terminate her nonviable pregnancy. Paxton also sent a letter to three hospitals, threatening legal action if they allowed the abortion to be performed at their facility...."

24 Nov

Judge rejects attempt to enshrine abortion rights on Nevada ballot

MollyUnited StatesAbortion Rights, Ballot, Judge, legislation, Nevada, United States

"A judge in Nevada rejected a proposed 2024 ballot initiative that sought to enshrine reproductive rights, including abortion, in the state’s constitution. Siding with a newly established PAC — the Coalition for Parents and Children PAC — which filed a lawsuit last month to block the petition, District Judge James T. Russell deemed the proposed ballot initiative to be too broad, embracing a “multitude of subjects that amount to logrolling.”"

31 Oct

Kansas can’t enforce new law on abortion pills or make patients wait 24 hours, judge rules

MollyUnited States24 hour wait, Abortion, Abortion Care, Abortion Pills, Court, Healthcare, Judge, Kansas, law, legislation, Pregnancy Termination, Ruling, United States

"A Kansas judge on Monday put a new state law on medication abortions on hold and blocked older restrictions that for years have spelled out what providers must tell patients and forced patients to wait 24 hours to end their pregnancies. The ruling was another big victory for abortion rights advocates in Kansas, where a statewide vote in August 2022 decisively confirmed protections for abortion access under the state constitution. District Judge K. Christopher Jayaram’s order suspends some restrictions that have been in effect for years. The waiting period had been in place since 1997...."

12 Sep

Challengers seek rewrite of Missouri abortion-rights ballot measures, calling them misleading

MollyUnited StatesBallot, Judge, United States, Voting

" Abortion-rights advocates asked a judge on Monday to rewrite what they call misleading descriptions of several constitutional amendments on abortion that voters could see on Missouri’s 2024 ballot. Missouri is among several states, including Ohio, where abortion opponents are fighting efforts to ensure or restore access to the procedure following the fall of Roe v. Wade last year..."

12 Aug

Nebraska judge allows abortion limits and restrictions on gender-affirming surgery

MollyUnited StatesAbortion Ban, Gender affirming Care ban, gender-affirming care, Judge, Nebraska, Twelve-Week Ban, United States

"A Nebraska judge on Friday rejected an effort to block a ban on abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy and restrictions on gender-affirming surgery. Lancaster County District Court Judge Lori Maret sided with the state and allowed a law approved by the Nebraska Legislature earlier this year to remain in effect. The law outlaws abortion after 12 weeks of pregnancy with exceptions for rape, incest and to save the life of the mother. As of Oct. 1, it also will prevent people under 19 from receiving gender-affirming surgery and restricts the use of hormone treatments and puberty blockers for minors...."

02 Aug

Idaho health care providers can refer patients for abortions out of state, judge rules

MollyUnited StatesAbortion Ban, Abortion Care, Abortion Rights, First Amendment, Healthcare, Idaho, Judge, Out of State, Ruling, Travel for Care, United Sates

"A federal judge has ruled that it would violate Idaho medical providers’ free speech rights to sanction them for referring patients to out-of-state abortion services, rejecting the state attorney general’s interpretation of Idaho’s abortion ban. Idaho’s law makes it illegal to perform or attempt to perform an abortion, a crime punishable by two to five years in prison. It also makes it unlawful for health care professionals to assist in the provision or attempted provision of one, with the penalty being the suspension or loss of their medical license...."