Texas Supreme Court Temporarily Halts Ruling That Allowed Pregnant Woman to Have Emergency Abortion
Court says they need more time to weigh in on the matter
12.08.2023 — Late tonight, the Texas Supreme Court temporarily halted a lower court ruling that would have allowed Kate Cox, a Dallas woman with severe pregnancy complications, to have an abortion to protect her health and future fertility. The Court said they will weigh in on the matter and stayed the lower court ruling until they have more time to consider the case.
Yesterday, a state court ruled in Kate’s favor, but within hours, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton asked the Texas Supreme Court to block the order immediately and stop Kate from having an abortion. Paxton also issued a letter threatening to prosecute any doctor who gave Kate an abortion, despite the court order.
“While we still hope that the Court ultimately rejects the state’s request and does so quickly, in this case we fear that justice delayed will be justice denied,” Said Molly Duane, senior staff attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights. “We are talking about urgent medical care. Kate is already 20 weeks pregnant. This is why people should not need to beg for healthcare in a court of law.”
Last week, Kate received confirmation that her fetus has a lethal condition—Trisomy 18—and has no chance of survival. Due to Kate’s medical history, her OB-GYNs warned her that continuing to carry the pregnancy could jeopardize her health and future fertility. However, she has been unable to get an abortion in Texas due to the state’s extreme abortion bans.
The Center for Reproductive Rights filed this case—Cox v. Texas—earlier this week on Kate’s behalf, asking the court to affirm her right to access urgent abortion care and avoid putting her health at risk by continuing the pregnancy.
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