Federal judge temporarily blocks Missouri ban on abortions at or after 8 weeks of pregnancy. </s> Federal judge temporarily blocks Missouri ban on abortions at or after 8 weeks of pregnancy

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Federal judge temporarily blocks Missouri ban on abortions at or after 8 weeks of pregnancy. </s> Federal Judge Blocks Parts Of Missouri Law That Bans Abortions After 8 Weeks

Portions of a Missouri law banning abortions after eight weeks of pregnancy were blocked by a federal judge just a day before the legislation was to go into effect.

U.S. District Judge Howard Sachs issued the order halting the law, which also means that any physician who performs an abortion after eight weeks could face prison time and have their license suspended or revoked.

"While federal courts should generally be very cautious before delaying the effect of state laws, the sense of caution may be mitigated when the legislation seems designed, as here, as a protest against Supreme Court decisions," Sachs wrote in his opinion.

Sachs denied a full preliminary injunction on technical grounds, but his ruling achieved what he called the "desired result" sought by Planned Parenthood for now.

The legislation that Republican Gov. Mike Parson signed in May does have an exception for medical emergencies, but not for victims of rape or incest.

Planned Parenthood filed suit to halt the law last month, and its lawyers told the court that the legislation would mean "patients will be subject to significant and irreparable constitutional, medical, emotional, and other harms for which no adequate remedy at law exists."

The ruling follows several other federal court decisions that have prevented the implementation of restrictive abortion laws in states such as Ohio and Mississippi. Many laws criminalize the procedure as soon as cardiac activity can be detected — as early as six weeks, which is before many women even know they're pregnant.

Anti-abortion rights activists are hoping that legal challenges to one of the state laws will reach the U.S. Supreme Court in an effort to overturn the constitutional right to an abortion established by the landmark 1973 ruling in Roe v. Wade.

In its July lawsuit, the clinic, Reproductive Health Services of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region, said the Missouri law would "directly violate long-standing Supreme Court precedent," calling it "Missouri's unrelenting campaign to deny patients the health care they seek and to which they are entitled."

The state's law was written with an eye toward banning the procedure as early as the courts will allow it. If an 8-week ban is thrown out, the law includes a cascading series of 14-, 18-, and 20-week abortion bans that could take effect instead.

"The hostility to, and refusal to comply with, the Supreme Court's abortion jurisprudence is most obviously demonstrated in the attempt to push 'viability' protection downward in various weekly stages to 8 weeks," the judge wrote, referring to how the state crafted the law.

In a separate process, the fate of the last remaining clinic that provides abortions in Missouri remains uncertain. Parson's administration says the clinic is not meeting state health regulations.

Planned Parenthood officials say they have done all they can to comply, but that the rules are being arbitrarily enforced for political reasons.

A hearing in that matter is planned for October. </s> Federal Judge Blocks Parts Of Missouri Law That Bans Abortions After 8 Weeks

Portions of a Missouri law banning abortions after eight weeks of pregnancy were blocked by a federal judge just a day before the legislation was to go into effect.

U.S. District Judge Howard Sachs issued the order halting the law, whose provisions also call for physicians who perform an abortion after eight weeks to face possible prison time and have their license suspended or revoked.

"While federal courts should generally be very cautious before delaying the effect of state laws, the sense of caution may be mitigated when the legislation seems designed, as here, as a protest against Supreme Court decisions," Sachs wrote in his opinion.

Sachs denied a full preliminary injunction on technical grounds, but his ruling achieved what he called the "desired result" sought by Planned Parenthood for now. He left in place — at least for now — prohibitions on abortion for reasons of race, sex or a suspected diagnosis of Down syndrome in the fetus.

The legislation that Republican Gov. Mike Parson signed in May has an exception for medical emergencies, but not for victims of rape or incest.

Planned Parenthood filed suit to halt the law last month, and its lawyers told the court that the legislation would mean "patients will be subject to significant and irreparable constitutional, medical, emotional, and other harms for which no adequate remedy at law exists."

In a statement, Kristan Hawkins of the anti-abortion rights group Students for Life called Tuesday's ruling "a travesty of justice and an insult to the democratic process."

Alexis McGill Johnson, acting president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, welcomed the decision blocking a law that she called "harmful."

"What little abortion access in Missouri is left, will stay in place for the time being. In the meantime, we cannot ignore the part of this law that remains in place, which allows politicians to interfere with the patient-provider relationship," she said.

But Marjorie Dannenfelser, the president of the Susan B. Anthony List, an anti-abortion group, criticized the judge's decision.

"Missouri is a strongly pro-life state and lawmakers acted on their constituents' will when they passed landmark protections for unborn children and their mothers," Dannenfelser said. "We are extremely disappointed in today's ruling which blocks limits on abortion, even late-term abortions at 20 weeks of pregnancy when the child can feel excruciating pain."

Sachs' ruling follows several other federal court decisions that have barred restrictive abortion laws from being implemented in states such as Ohio and Mississippi. Many of those laws criminalize the procedure as soon as heartbeat activity can be detected — as early as six weeks, which is before many women even know they're pregnant.

Anti-abortion-rights activists are hoping that legal challenges to one of the state laws will reach the U.S. Supreme Court in an effort to overturn the constitutional right to an abortion established by the landmark 1973 ruling in Roe v. Wade.

In its July lawsuit, the clinic, Reproductive Health Services of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region, said the Missouri law would "directly violate long-standing Supreme Court precedent," calling it "Missouri's unrelenting campaign to deny patients the health care they seek and to which they are entitled."

The state's law was written with an eye toward banning the procedure as early as the courts will allow it. If an eight-week ban is thrown out, the law includes a cascading series of 14-, 18- and 20-week abortion bans that could take effect instead.

"The hostility to, and refusal to comply with, the Supreme Court's abortion jurisprudence is most obviously demonstrated in the attempt to push 'viability' protection downward in various weekly stages to 8 weeks," the judge wrote, referring to the way the state crafted the law.

In a separate process, the fate of the last remaining clinic that provides abortions in Missouri remains uncertain. Parson's administration says the clinic is not meeting state health regulations.

Planned Parenthood officials say they have done all they can to comply but that the rules are being arbitrarily enforced for political reasons.

A hearing in that matter is planned for October. </s> A federal judge has temporarily blocked a new Missouri ban on abortions after eight weeks of pregnancy on Tuesday, a day before it was set to be implemented.

U.S. District Judge Howard Sachs put a pause on the law as a legal challenge, led by Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri, against it plays out in court.

'The various sections specifying prohibitions on abortions at various weeks prior to viability cannot be allowed to go into effect on August 28, as scheduled,' Judge Sachs said in an 11-page opinion.

'However formulated, the legislation on its face conflicts with the Supreme Court ruling that neither legislative or judicial limits on abortion can be measured by specified weeks or development of a fetus; instead, "viability" is the sole test for a State's authority to prohibit abortions where there is no maternal health issue,' he added.

In May Missouri legislators passed the 'Missouri Stands for the Unborn' act which makes abortion at or after the eight-week mark illegal, as a part of a greater challenge of U.S. abortion laws.

Planned Parenthood and the ACLU of Missouri filed their lawsuit in late July, arguing the law is unconstitutional and goes against the landmark 1973 U.S. Supreme Court Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide.

The Tuesday ruling follows similar struck down legislation in North Dakota and Iowa and blocked abortion restrictions in Arkansas and Ohio.

The 'Missouri Stands for the Unborn' act includes exceptions for medical emergencies, but not for rape or incest.

If courts don't uphold the eight-week ban, the measure includes a series of less-restrictive bans ranging from 14 weeks up to 20 weeks.

The policy also bans abortions based solely on race, sex or a diagnosis indicating the potential for Down syndrome.

The law would also penalize medical professionals who perform abortions after eight weeks into a pregnancy with up to 15 years in prison.

The act is controversial as most women don't even know they're pregnant eight weeks into pregnancy. Furthermore it establishes the time frame for an abortion well before the 24-week viability standard established by Roe vs. Wade.

Attorneys for the state can appeal the judge's ruling.

They argue that courts have allowed limits on abortions based on the gestational age of the fetus. In court documents, they told the judge that the state's goal is 'protecting fetal life' as well as protecting women. D

uring a court hearing Monday, Missouri Solicitor General John Sauer's argument centered on his contention that Planned Parenthood and the ACLU do not have standing to challenge the law.

Federal law allows states to prohibit abortions after fetuses are viable outside the womb, which can be from 24 to 28 weeks.

Missouri's law also includes an outright ban on abortions except in cases of medical emergencies, but that would take effect only if Roe v. Wade is overturned.

Missouri already has some of the nation's most restrictive abortion regulations. Just one clinic in the state performs abortions. </s> By The Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Federal judge temporarily blocks Missouri ban on abortions at or after 8 weeks of pregnancy.

Copyright © 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. </s> FILE – In this June 21, 2019, file photo, a motorist enters Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri. Critics of new abortion restrictions in Missouri are headed to court to try to block the law from taking effect. Attorneys for Planned Parenthood will argue Monday, Aug. 26, 2019, that the law should be temporarily blocked until the lawsuit is decided. (Christian Gooden/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP, File)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A new Missouri ban on abortions at or after eight weeks of pregnancy won’t take effect Wednesday after a federal judge temporarily blocked it from being implemented.

U.S. District Judge Howard Sachs put a pause on the law as a legal challenge against it plays out in court.

Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri filed the lawsuit, arguing that the law is unconstitutional and goes against the landmark 1973 U.S. Supreme Court Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide.

The law includes exceptions for medical emergencies, but not for rape or incest. If courts don’t uphold the eight-week ban, the measure includes a series of less-restrictive bans ranging from 14 weeks up to 20 weeks. The policy also bans abortions based solely on race, sex or a diagnosis indicating the potential for Down syndrome.

Similar laws have been struck down in North Dakota and Iowa.

Attorneys for the state can appeal the judge’s ruling. They argue that courts have allowed limits on abortions based on the gestational age of the fetus. In court documents, they told the judge that the state’s goal is “protecting fetal life” as well as protecting women. During a court hearing Monday, Missouri Solicitor General John Sauer’s argument centered on his contention that Planned Parenthood and the ACLU do not have standing to challenge the law.

Federal law allows states to prohibit abortions after fetuses are viable outside the womb, which can be from 24 to 28 weeks.

Missouri’s law also includes an outright ban on abortions except in cases of medical emergencies, but that would take effect only if Roe v. Wade is overturned.

Missouri already has some of the nation’s most restrictive abortion regulations. Just one clinic in the state performs abortions. </s> A new Missouri ban on abortions at or after eight weeks of pregnancy won't take effect Wednesday after a federal judge temporarily blocked it from being implemented.

U.S. District Judge Howard Sachs put a pause on the law as a legal challenge against it plays out in court.

Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri filed the lawsuit, arguing that the law is unconstitutional and goes against the landmark 1973 U.S. Supreme Court Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide.

The law includes exceptions for medical emergencies, but not for rape or incest. If courts don't uphold the eight-week ban, the measure includes a series of less-restrictive bans ranging from 14 weeks up to 20 weeks. The policy also bans abortions based solely on race, sex or a diagnosis indicating the potential for Down syndrome.

Similar laws have been struck down in North Dakota and Iowa.

Attorneys for the state can appeal the judge's ruling. They argue that courts have allowed limits on abortions based on the gestational age of the fetus. In court documents, they told the judge that the state's goal is "protecting fetal life" as well as protecting women. During a court hearing Monday, Missouri Solicitor General John Sauer's argument centered on his contention that Planned Parenthood and the ACLU do not have standing to challenge the law.

Federal law allows states to prohibit abortions after fetuses are viable outside the womb, which can be from 24 to 28 weeks.

Missouri's law also includes an outright ban on abortions except in cases of medical emergencies, but that would take effect only if Roe v. Wade is overturned.

Missouri already has some of the nation's most restrictive abortion regulations. Just one clinic in the state performs abortions. </s> KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - A new Missouri ban on abortions at or after eight weeks of pregnancy won't take effect Wednesday after a federal judge temporarily blocked it from being implemented.

U.S. District Judge Howard Sachs put a pause on the law as a legal challenge against it plays out in court, which could take months. He added that Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri likely will succeed in their lawsuit alleging that the law is unconstitutional.

Similar laws have been struck down in North Dakota and Iowa.

Missouri already has some of the nation's most restrictive abortion regulations. Just one clinic in the state performs abortions.

Sachs' ruling says allowing the eight-week abortion ban to be enforced would have blocked about half of reported abortions in Missouri. The judge wrote that it would amount to "significant interference with plaintiffs' service and the rights of its prospective patients."

The law includes exceptions for medical emergencies, but not for rape or incest.

FILE - In this June 21, 2019, file photo, a motorist enters Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri. A new Missouri ban on abortions at or after eight weeks of pregnancy won't take effect on August 28 after a federal judge temporarily blocked it from being implemented. U.S. District Judge Howard Sachs put a pause on the law as a legal challenge against it plays out in court. Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri filed the lawsuit, arguing that the law is unconstitutional and goes against the landmark 1973 U.S. Supreme Court Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. (Christian Gooden/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP, File)

Missouri lawmakers expected a court challenge and included a series of less-restrictive bans ranging from 14 weeks up to 20 weeks in the measure in hopes that one would be upheld. But it's unclear if any of the bans on abortions before fetuses are viable outside the womb, which can be from 24 to 28 weeks, will stick.

Sachs wrote that it's "highly likely that the listed weekly time limits on abortions will be ruled invalid."

He will allow one portion of the policy to take effect: a ban on abortions based solely on race, sex or a diagnosis indicating the potential for Down syndrome. He wrote that abortions based on Down syndrome would be "somewhat rare, given the window of time needed for adequate testing and consultation."

Planned Parenthood vowed to fight to block that portion of the law, too.

"Although we are grateful today's ruling allows us to provide care to some Missourians, we will continue to defend the truth: EVERY reason to have an abortion is a valid reason," said Colleen McNicholas, chief medical officer for Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region.

The decision to allow that portion of the law to be enforced was lauded by Republican Attorney General Eric Schmitt, whose office is responsible for defending the law in court.

"As the father of a child with special needs, Attorney General Schmitt is particularly sensitive to suggestions that an unborn child who will have special needs is any lesser of a human being, and we're glad that provisions relating to that issue were left in place in the judge's ruling today," spokesman Chris Nuelle said in a statement.

Attorneys for the state can appeal Sachs' ruling. Nuelle said the attorney general's office is reviewing the full ruling and determining what steps to take next.

State attorneys have argued that courts have allowed limits on abortions based on the gestational age of the fetus. In court documents, they told the judge that the state's goal is "protecting fetal life" as well as protecting women. During a court hearing Monday, Missouri Solicitor General John Sauer's argument centered on his contention that Planned Parenthood and the ACLU do not have standing to challenge the law.

Missouri's law also includes an outright ban on abortions except in cases of medical emergencies, but that would take effect only if Roe v. Wade is overturned.
A U.S. federal judge blocks a Missouri law banning abortions eight weeks after conception from going into effect.