‘ANYONE’S GUESS’

Judge Blocks Arizona Law Giving Rights to Unborn Children

Abortion rights advocates have scored a win in court after a judge ruled that the laws we

A federal judge has blocked an Arizona law that gives legal rights to unborn children, citing it as “unconstitutionally vague” after abortion rights advocates claimed it put providers at risk of unwittingly committing a crime. U.S. District Judge Douglas Reyes wrote in his ruling that the interpretation of the law was “anyone’s guess” and that it was difficult for abortion providers to understand what rules they may be breaking if they perform an otherwise legal abortion. “And that is the problem,” Judge Reyes wrote. “When the punitive and regulatory weight of the entire Arizona code is involved, Plaintiffs should not have to guess at whether their conduct is on the right or the wrong side of the law. Nor should they have to hire a lawyer and file declaratory judgment actions in state court.” Abortion rights groups say they fear being charged with a variety of crimes, including assault, child endangerment, and child abuse. “Medical providers should not have to guess about whether the otherwise lawful performance of their jobs could lead to criminal, civil, or professional liability solely,” Judge Reyes wrote. Abortions have stopped completely in Arizona since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Roe v. Wade last month that women do not have a constitutional right to abortion. It is not yet known whether abortions will restart in the state due to the ruling.