Judge Temporarily Blocks Restrictive Texas Abortion Law

A judge issued a preliminary injunction Wednesday that temporarily blocks the enforcement of Texas’ controversial new abortion law, S.B. 8. Federal judge Robert Pitman wrote, “People seeking abortions face irreparable harm when they are unable to access abortions; these individuals are entitled to access to abortions under the U.S. Constitution; S.B. 8 prevents access to abortion; a preliminary injunction will allow—at least for some subset of affected individuals—abortions to proceed that otherwise would not have.” The Justice Department had filed suit against the state of Texas to overturn the law at the direction of President Joe Biden. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s administration is likely to appeal the injunction. Pitman also ordered the state to publish “visible, easy-to-understand” warnings online that Texas courts would not accept lawsuits under S.B. 8 and to notify state court judges and clerks that they should not take up such cases. The law deputizes private citizens to sue anyone who assists in performing an abortion after six weeks of pregnancy, before many women even know they are pregnant.