Kate Cox.Photo:Kate Cox/AFP
Kate Cox/AFP
The Texas Supreme Court has temporarily blocked a judge’s decision to allow a woman to receive an emergency abortion.
On Thursday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a petition to reverse a lower-court ruling to allow a Dallas woman, Kate Cox, to terminate her pregnancy legally under a 14-day restraining order against the state’s abortion ban.
Abortion is currentlybannedin Texas after six weeks, which is before most people know they’re pregnant. The law does not allow exceptions for women who were impregnated as a result of rape or incest. Under the legislation, private citizens can also sue doctors or abortion clinic workers who perform or help to set up the procedure.
In thepetition, Paxton argues that Cox should not be allowed to receive an abortion because she hasn’t proven that her pregnancy has caused a “life-threatening” medical condition that puts her “at risk of death” or major bodily harm.
Paxton asked the court for an emergency stay of the lower court’s ruling and stressed that the temporary restraining order will not protect anyone who helps facilitate an abortion from being prosecuted for violating the state’s abortion laws.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.Brett Coomer/Getty
Brett Coomer/Getty
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Molly Duane — attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights, which is representing Cox — said the temporary block is delaying the urgent medical attention that Cox needs.
“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,” she said in a statement.
“After a week of legal whiplash and threats of prosecution from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, our client Kate Cox has been forced to flee her home state of Texas to get the time-sensitive abortion care needed to protect her health and future fertility,” Nancy Northup, chief executive for the abortion rights group, said onX, formerly Twitter.
source: people.com
