Federal judge blocks Arkansas law banning abortions after 12 weeks

On Friday, a federal judge granted an injunction against a law that would have banned most abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy. The judge said the law was likely unconstitutional.

By Suzi Parker,?Reuters / May 18, 2013

Rita Sklar, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas, speaks during a news conference at the Arkansas state Capitol in Little Rock, Ark., April 16. Abortion rights proponents filed a federal lawsuit which Friday, lead to a judge blocking Arkansas' new abortion law, which is among the most restrictive in the nation.

James MacPherson/AP/File

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A federal judge on Friday blocked a new?Arkansas?law that would ban most abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy, one of the most restrictive abortion statutes in the nation.

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US District Judge Susan Webber Wright granted an injunction sought by abortion rights groups, saying the ban was "more than likely" unconstitutional and ordering that implementation be delayed until a legal challenge to the law can be tried in court.

The law was to have taken effect in August.

The?Center for Reproductive Rights?and the American Civil Liberties Union filed suit against the?state medical board?in April on behalf of two?Arkansas?doctors who perform abortions.

"Today's decision ensures that the women of?Arkansas?will remain protected from this blatant unconstitutional assault on their health and fundamental reproductive rights," Nancy Northup, chief executive of the?Center for Reproductive Rights, said in a statement.

"Such an extreme ban on abortion would have immediate and devastating consequences for women inArkansas, especially those who could not afford to travel out of state to access reproductive health care," she said.

Northup said the group is confident the law will ultimately be struck down in court.

The?Arkansas?Human Heartbeat Protection Act would ban most abortions after about 12 weeks of pregnancy, once a fetal heartbeat can be detected by a standard?ultrasound. It allows exemptions in cases where the pregnancy resulted from rape or incest, if the life of the mother is in danger, or if major fetal problems are detected.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/UM-HW91FI70/Federal-judge-blocks-Arkansas-law-banning-abortions-after-12-weeks

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