Georgia prosecutor appeals judge's reversal of abortion restriction
Date
10/3/2024 5:30:09 AM
(MENAFN) Georgia's Republican Attorney General, Chris Carr, has formally appealed a judge's decision that invalidated the state's abortion ban. On Wednesday, Carr's office submitted a legal motion to the Georgia Supreme Court, requesting that the court reinstate the law, which prohibits most abortions after approximately six weeks of pregnancy. This appeal comes as the court reviews the state's challenge to the ruling made by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney.
Judge McBurney's ruling, issued on Monday, found that the abortion ban, which had been in effect since 2022, violated women's rights to liberty and privacy as outlined in Georgia's state constitution. As a result, his decision effectively reverted abortion regulations in the state to a previous law that permitted abortions until viability, roughly between 22 and 24 weeks into a pregnancy. In response, Carr's office criticized McBurney's ruling as “barely veiled judicial policymaking,” asserting that the legal framework should not encompass the termination of an unborn child's life.
In the wake of the ruling, some clinic officials in Georgia announced plans to start accepting patients who are more than six weeks pregnant, despite the possibility that the ban could be reinstated quickly if the appeal succeeds. Carr's office indicated in its notice of appeal that the case is being expedited to Georgia's highest court due to its constitutional implications regarding state law.
The judge's decision has significant ramifications, leaving 13 states across the U.S. with total bans on abortion at all stages of pregnancy and three states imposing restrictions after approximately six weeks. As the situation evolves, the outcome of this appeal could reshape the landscape of abortion rights in Georgia and potentially influence broader discussions on reproductive health laws nationwide.
MENAFN03102024000045015839ID1108742667
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.