Summary: The district attorney for the state of Texas, Greg Abbott, filed an emergency motion that asks the U.S. Court of Appeals to allow the state to enforce its abortion law.
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott filed an emergency motion on Sunday to the U.S. Court of Appeals to ask for permission to enforce Texas’ tough abortion law as the legal fight over it continues to rage, according to The Houston Chronicle.
The emergency motion was expected and it comes after a ruling from a federal district judge in Texas on Friday that declared the provision of the law unconstitutional. The provision of the law requires abortion facilities in the state of Texas to comply with the standards of ambulatory surgical centers.
The ruling came from U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel and it blocked the state of Texas from enforcing the provision of the abortion law. It was scheduled to take effect on Monday. The judge’s ruling also saved a dozen clinics in the state from closing.
In his motion filed with the appellate court, Abbott said that Yeakel “failed even to mention (much less follow) precedent” from the appellate court and U.S. Supreme Court. He also said that Texas is likely to win its appeal of Yeakel’s ruling.
This exact thing happened in the fall of 2013 when Yeakel defeated a different part of House Bill 2. His ruling was eventually overturned by the appellate court. The motion filed by Abbott asked for a decision by Friday.
