Temporary Halt on Abortion Approval by Texas Supreme Court

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The Texas Supreme Court, late on Friday, suspended a lower court’s decision that had authorized an abortion for a pregnant woman, Kate Cox, 31, facing a fetal diagnosis with fatal implications. This move casts uncertainty over an extraordinary legal battle against one of the United States’ most stringent abortion prohibitions.

More than a day after Cox, a Dallas-area mother of two, was granted a temporary restraining order by a lower court, the all-Republican Texas Supreme Court intervened. This order had temporarily barred the enforcement of the state’s abortion ban in Cox’s specific situation.

The Supreme Court’s brief order emphasized a temporary pause on the previous ruling, clarifying that it was not a comment on the case’s merits, which remains unresolved.

Molly Duane, a lawyer from the Center for Reproductive Rights representing Cox, expressed concerns about the delay in justice, fearing it could equate to a denial of justice.

Cox’s legal team has refrained from disclosing her abortion intentions due to safety concerns. In recent submissions to the Texas Supreme Court, they confirmed that she remains pregnant.

This week, Cox, at 20 weeks of pregnancy, initiated what is believed to be a pioneering lawsuit post the U.S. Supreme Court’s revocation of Roe v. Wade last year. The Thursday order was uniquely applicable to Cox and not to other pregnant individuals in Texas.

Diagnosed with a high-risk pregnancy due to trisomy 18, Cox faces significant health risks. Her lawsuit details the challenges, including potential complications from labor induction or another C-section due to her medical history.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton opposes Cox’s case, arguing she doesn’t qualify for the state’s medical exemption for abortion. His office has emphasized the irreversible nature of abortion and its violation of Texas law.

Paxton has also cautioned Houston hospitals against facilitating Cox’s abortion, criticizing the judge who initially ruled in Cox’s favor.

Simultaneously, in Kentucky, a woman identified as Jane Doe has filed a lawsuit seeking abortion rights. Unlike Cox’s case, this lawsuit aims for class-action status to represent others in similar situations in Kentucky.

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More about Texas Supreme Court Abortion Ruling

• Texas Supreme Court Abortion Decision
• Kate Cox’s Legal Challenge
• Texas Attorney General’s Stance on Abortion
• Kentucky Abortion Lawsuit