Arkansas Loses Bid to Reinstate Anti-Abortion Laws at Eighth Circuit
(Worthy News) – The Eighth Circuit on Tuesday blocked Arkansas’ persistent efforts to usher in some of the nation’s most restrictive abortion measures, striking down a pair of laws barring the procedure after 18 weeks of pregnancy and on the basis of a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome.
The unanimous three-judge panel decision upholds U.S. District Judge Kristine Baker’s temporary block of the sweeping restrictions last month. But while the ruling delivered an immediate win for pro-abortion rights advocates, the court suggested that the constitutionality of the two laws is “obviously subject to change in the future” and should be reevaluate by the Supreme Court.
In the 17-page opinion issued Tuesday, the St. Louis-based appeals court found that the state’s only surgical abortion clinic, Little Rock Family Planning Services, and physician Thomas Tvedten are likely to succeed on their claim that Supreme Court precedent prevents a state from banning pre-viability abortions, generally considered at 24 weeks. [ Source: Court House News (Read More…) ]