U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman dismissed Attorney General Ken Paxton from the lawsuit,...
The lawsuit, filed two months after the overturn of Roe v. Wade, was brought by abortion funds, nonprofit groups that help pay for abortions and related expenses, including out-of-state travel, hotels and child care.A federal judge issued a favorable ruling for Texas abortion funds, indicating they likely cannot be criminally charged for helping people travel out of state to terminate their pregnancies.
But Pitman ruled Friday that Paxton could not enforce Texas’ abortion bans against anyone who helped pay for an abortion out of state and dismissed him from the suit. Paxton and the district attorneys do have the power to enforce the trigger law, which comes with a sentence of up to life in prison and a minimum $100,000 penalty. The law criminalizes anyone who performs an abortion, except to save the life of the pregnant person.The law “does not express any intent, much less a clear one, to apply extraterritorially,” he wrote.
Pitman enjoined the named district attorneys — who represent Travis, Washington, Blanco, Burnell, Llano, San Saba and Caldwell counties — and a county attorney, representing Burleson County, from enforcing the pre-Roe statutes against the abortion funds while the case proceeds.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Texas abortion funds likely safe from prosecution, federal judge rulesU.S. District Judge Robert Pitman dismissed Attorney General Ken Paxton from the lawsuit, ruling he had no authority to enforce Texas’ abortion bans beyond state lines.
Read more »
U.S. judge rules Texas abortion funds likely safe from prosecutionU.S. District Judge Robert Pitman temporarily blocked prosecutors in eight counties from pursuing charges against anyone who helps someone get an abortion outside of Texas. Story by TexasTribune.
Read more »
A Hard-Right Trump Judge Battles Texas Officials Who Jail Their CriticsTrump Judge James Ho fights lonely battle against censorship in Texas.
Read more »
White House accuses Texas of 'judge shopping' over border issuesThe Biden administration is accusing Texas of tilting the playing field. Department of Justice officials believe AG Ken Paxton is deliberately bringing lawsuits before federal judges who will look more favorably upon them.
Read more »
Texas prosecutors can't target groups that fund out-of-state abortions, judge saysLocal prosecutors in Texas cannot use state laws that are more than 60 years old to prosecute organizations that help fund and arrange travel for Texans to obtain abortions in other states where it is legal, a federal judge ruled Friday.
Read more »
Harris blasts efforts to reverse abortion drug's approvalVice President Kamala Harris convened abortion-rights leaders Friday at the White House, as a Texas judge decides the fate of a key abortion drug.
Read more »