Florida's 15-week abortion ban temporarily blocked by judge


A Florida judge said Thursday he will temporarily block the state's new law banning all abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The measure was signed into law by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis in April.
The judge's decision follows last week's bombshell ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court, in which the court voted 6-3 to overturn federal abortion protections as outlined under 1973's Roe v. Wade.
Planned Parenthood of America, the Center for Reproductive Rights, and The American Civil Liberties Union had sued Florida earlier this month in a bid to stop the law, "claiming it violates an amendment in the state Constitution that bars the government from intruding on people's personal lives," Politico writes.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The 15-week ban is set to take effect at midnight, and the judge's temporary statewide injunction is not official until he signs a written order, notes The New York Times. The judge said that would not happen on Thursday.
The state will likely appeal the ruling, and the issue is expected to make its way to Florida's Supreme Court. The injunction is similar to those cropping up elsewhere, including in Louisiana and in Utah, where judges have temporarily blocked their states' "trigger law" abortion bans.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
Musk vows DOGE pullback as Tesla profits plunge
Speed Read The Tesla SEO says he will soon step back from government matters to devote more time to the company
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
IMF sees slump from tariffs, Trump tries to calm markets
Speed Read The International Monetary Fund predicts the U.S. and global economies will slow significantly due to the president's trade war
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
DHS chief Kristi Noem's purse stolen from eatery
Speed Read Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's purse was stolen while she dined with family at a restaurant in Washington, D.C.
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Trump stands by Hegseth amid ouster reports
Speed Read The president dismissed reports that he was on the verge of firing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over a second national security breach
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Hegseth reportedly shared war plans in 2nd group text
Speed Read The defense secretary sent information about an attack in Yemen to a Signal group chat that included his wife and brother
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Judge threatens Trump team with criminal contempt
Speed Read James Boasberg attempts to hold the White House accountable for disregarding court orders over El Salvador deportation flights
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Biden slams Trump's Social Security cuts
Speed Read In his first major public address since leaving office, Biden criticized the Trump administration's 'damage' and 'destruction'
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
El Salvador refuses to return US deportee
Speed Read President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador said he would not send back the unlawfully deported Kilmar Ábrego García
By Peter Weber, The Week US