The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has just overturned an injunction from a lower court last night that prohibit Texas from banning abortions during the coronavirus pandemic:
BREAKING
Texas's abortion ban is going back into effect.
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals just issued a temporary stay of last night's decision to block the ban from going into effect.
Abortion will now be discontinued in Texas.
Story coming…
— Kate Smith (@byKateSmith) March 31, 2020
CBS NEWS – Texas will again be allowed to implement its temporary ban on abortion, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday afternoon. Per the order, any abortion “not medically necessary to preserve the life or health” of the patient must be halted until further review by the court. Those in violation face “penalties of up to $1,000 or 180 days of jail time.”
The ban, which is part of the state’s suspension of all “non-essential” medical procedures, was briefly lifted on Monday evening when a lower court ruled the suspension of abortion services was in violation of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide.
This is great news. While it’s only a temporary ban, there will be many innocent lives saved in Texas because of this decision.
I don’t have any additional information about the ruling, other than to point out that Texas AG Ken Paxton is very happy:
UPDATE: Victory at 5th Circuit – Abortion ruling stayed! https://t.co/vmpyXsje0B
— Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) March 31, 2020
Last night’s ruling, which claimed the ban violated Roe v Wade, was from a district judge appointed by George W. Bush:
BREAKING: A Texas judge appointed by George W. Bush just sided with abortion clinics who were challenging the state's order to halt abortions during the #covid19 pandemic. The state is banned from enforcing the order for the next couple week while the lawsuit continues in court.
— Alice Miranda Ollstein (@AliceOllstein) March 30, 2020