Travis County District Court Judge Jessica Mangrum recently ruled that Texas women with complicated pregnancies will be exempted from the state’s abortion ban by issuing a temporary injunction. This was reported by the CNBC news portal.
The judge argued that this decision is based on the lack of clarity about the medical exceptions to the abortion ban.
“The Court finds that there is uncertainty as to whether the medical exception to Texas’ abortion bans allows a physician to provide abortion care when, in the physician’s good faith judgment and in consultation with the pregnant person, the pregnant person has an emergent physical medical conditionMangrum asserted in the court ruling.
In this way, the judge supported the position of the lawsuit established by women and members of the health sector against the state of Texas for having prohibited abortion.
According to CNBC, the temporary injunction will remain in effect until the lawsuit against Texas is resolved, unless a higher court intervenes. The order is expected to be appealed.
In addition, the judge ruled that doctors cannot be prosecuted for applying “good faith judgment” to provide abortions in physical medical conditionsincluding: those that pose a risk of infection or make the pregnancy unsafe, when the fetus is not likely to survive the pregnancy after birth, and when a medical condition cannot be effectively treated during pregnancy or requires intervention.
The Center for Reproductive Rights, the organization that filed the lawsuit against the abortion ban, was pleased with the court ruling.
“Today’s ruling alleviates months of confusion over what conditions qualify as medical emergencies under Texas’ abortion bans, granting physicians permission to use their own medical judgment in determining when abortion care is needed.“, explained the group in a statement.
The lawsuit was also backed by several women who claimed they were denied the right to abortion despite the fact that their lives were at great risk, according to CNBC.
This was one of the first cases of pregnant women suing over restrictions imposed after the United States Supreme Court struck down the well-known court decision Roe v. Wade in June 2022, which guaranteed the right to abortion for women across the country.
The injunction is effective immediately. The judge set a trial date for March 25.
Abortion was banned with very limited exceptions in Texas. State legislatures are currently debating how much to restrict or expand abortion access after that decision.
Keep reading:
– Kamala Harris reiterates defense of abortion rights on anniversary of Roe v. Wade ruling
–Roe vs. Wade: Increase in malformations, maternal death and lack of medical specialists due to the denial of the right to abortion
– State judge temporarily suspends 6-week abortion ban in South Carolina
