A Jefferson County Circuit Court judge has ruled that abortions may be performed again in Kentucky.Judge Mitch Perry granted a request on Thursday in favor of a lawsuit filed by the ACLU along with Planned Parenthood and the EMW Women’s Surgical Center.To that end, Perry also agreed to temporarily block enforcement of a Kentucky state law that bans abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.The video player above reports the arguments made in court on Wednesday.EMW Women’s Surgical Center, on Market Street, has sat empty since Friday when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade. Kentucky is one of at least 13 states with so-called “trigger laws” that made most abortions illegal immediately.On Friday, 15 women, already in the waiting room were turned away, and in the days since, a total of 200, according to an attorney.The ACLU argued their case on Wednesday that abortions would happen anyway but that women would be forced to go out of state.”They’re either going to be forced to carry pregnancies against their will or go out of state to access abortion,” Heather Gatnarek, a staff attorney with the ACLU of Kentucky, told WLKY.Gatnarek also questioned the timing of the “trigger law.” Perry said he expected to rule on that within 24 hours, but wanted the two sides to return to court next week to argue the injunction.”I want time to reflect on this because it’s very important,” he said.Now, it appears that reflection has led Perry to a decision as the 15 women who were turned away at EMW on Friday along with others will, for now, have access to abortion.Anti-abortion advocates are optimistic the bans will be upheld.On Wednesday, David Walls of the Family Foundation argued that lives were at stake. “Right now lives are being saved in the commonwealth and anything that undoes that would do irreparable harm to the commonwealth and the babies in the world,” Walls said.Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron has promised to fight any “baseless claim” for abortion rights.Read Cameron’s full statement below:”In the wake of an historic victory for life at the nation’s highest court, today, one judge in Kentucky has, without basis in the Kentucky Constitution, allowed two clinics to resume abortions. We cannot let the same mistake that happened in Roe v. Wade, nearly 50 years ago, to be made again in Kentucky. We will be seeking relief from this order.The U.S. Supreme Court made it abundantly clear in Dobbs that decisions about the protection of life should be decided by the states and the people through their representatives. Our General Assembly clearly expressed Kentucky’s support for life by passing the Human Life Protection Act with bipartisan support. We will do everything possible to continue defending this law and to ensure that unborn life is protected in the Commonwealth.”
A Jefferson County Circuit Court judge has ruled that abortions may be performed again in Kentucky.
Judge Mitch Perry granted a request on Thursday in favor of a lawsuit filed by the ACLU along with Planned Parenthood and the EMW Women’s Surgical Center.
To that end, Perry also agreed to temporarily block enforcement of a Kentucky state law that bans abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.
The video player above reports the arguments made in court on Wednesday.
EMW Women’s Surgical Center, on Market Street, has sat empty since Friday when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade. Kentucky is one of at least 13 states with so-called “trigger laws” that made most abortions illegal immediately.
On Friday, 15 women, already in the waiting room were turned away, and in the days since, a total of 200, according to an attorney.
The ACLU argued their case on Wednesday that abortions would happen anyway but that women would be forced to go out of state.
“They’re either going to be forced to carry pregnancies against their will or go out of state to access abortion,” Heather Gatnarek, a staff attorney with the ACLU of Kentucky, told WLKY.
Gatnarek also questioned the timing of the “trigger law.” Perry said he expected to rule on that within 24 hours, but wanted the two sides to return to court next week to argue the injunction.
“I want time to reflect on this because it’s very important,” he said.
Now, it appears that reflection has led Perry to a decision as the 15 women who were turned away at EMW on Friday along with others will, for now, have access to abortion.
Anti-abortion advocates are optimistic the bans will be upheld.
On Wednesday, David Walls of the Family Foundation argued that lives were at stake.
“Right now lives are being saved in the commonwealth and anything that undoes that would do irreparable harm to the commonwealth and the babies in the world,” Walls said.
Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron has promised to fight any “baseless claim” for abortion rights.
