Texas Late-Term Abortion Lawsuit Headed to the Supreme Court

Katie Pavlich | November 04, 2013 2:00 PM

Pro-abortion Planned Parenthood is taking its Texas sized late-term abortion battle to the Supreme Court after a judge ruled late last week to uphold major parts of legislation banning abortions after five months of pregnancy and requiring abortions be performed in surgical centers. More from LifeNews:

Following a decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit that allowed the immediate enforcement of the pro-life law, Planned Parenthood and other abortion business have filed an emergency application with the U.S. Supreme Court to reinstate an injunction granted by U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel on October 28. The judge blocked a Texas provision requiring abortion practitioners to obtain admitting privileges at a local hospital to be able to admit women quickly in cases when they are injured by botched abortions.

“We’re asking the Supreme Court to stop Texas’ dangerous and extreme law from taking effect because your rights — your very ability to make your own medical decisions — should not depend on your zip code,” said Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

Abortion activists have complained that the new law has forced approximately one-third of the state’s licensed abortion clinics to stop doing abortions because they are unable to protect women’s health by getting the appropriate admitting privilege with a local hospital.

After Judge Yeakel issued an injunction against the measure, Texas attorney general Greg Abbott immediately appealed the decision to the Fifth Circuit and asked the appellate court to lift the injunction put into place by Judge Yeakel’s decision pending the outcome of the appeal. The Fifth Circuit granted the state’s request Thursday night, and allowed the state to immediately start enforcing the law to protect women’s health while the case challenging the law proceeds.