Judge considering blocking parts of North Carolina abortion law won't halt broader 12-week ban
A federal judge says she won’t block temporarily a large swath of North Carolina’s abortion law taking effect this weekend that includes a near-ban after 12 weeks of pregnancy
GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — A federal judge said Wednesday that she won't temporarily block most of a newly revised abortion law from taking effect this weekend in North Carolina, including a near-ban on the procedure after 12 weeks of pregnancy.
U.S. District Judge Catherine Eagles said at a court hearing that she won't grant the request by lawyers for Planned Parenthood South Atlantic and a physician to set aside most of the new restrictions before they are to come into force on Saturday, calling it overbroad.
The 12-week ban, which was approved in the spring by North Carolina's Republican-controlled General Assembly and includes new exceptions for rape, incest and “life-limiting” fetal anomalies, would replace the current ban on most abortions after 20 weeks.
The abortion providers claim in litigation that several specific provisions affecting doctors and patients in the new law approved by the General Assembly are so contradictory, vague and unconstitutional that all new restrictions starting July 1 needed to be aside for now.
