70°
59º | 81°
51° | 69°
The Texas Attorney General is praising a U.S. District Court judge on his move to rule against the Department of Justice (DOJ) blocking a new Texas abortion law.
U.S. District Court Judge Robert Pitman ruled against the DOJ on grounds saying, "[T]his case presents complex, important questions of law that merit a full opportunity for the parties to present their positions to the Court," according to a Fox News article.
The Department of Justice asserted in its request for a temporary restraining order that the law, which Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed earlier this month, deprives women of their constitutional rights, according to Fox News.
"BREAKING NEWS! Federal Judge sides with Texas. I will never stop defending life in Texas," Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a Twitter post.
The one page order from Judge Pittman was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas Austin Division.
"Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that the United States’ Opposed Motion for Expedited Briefing Schedule, (Dkt. 13), is DENIED," he said in his order.
On Sept. 2, the Supreme Court voted 5-4 to allow the Texas abortion law to remain in place, according to Yahoo News. This was done on procedural grounds and it also denied an emergency appeal to block the law on previous caselaw including Roe v. Wade.
Senate Bill 8, or the Texas Heartbeat Bill, relates, "to abortion, including abortions after detection of an unborn child's heartbeat; authorizing a private civil right of action," according to Legiscan.
The Department of Justice requested that the judge issue a temporary restraining order or injunction in an effort to block the state from enforcing the law, according to Fox News.
The law effectively bans all abortions in Texas, according to Fox News.
The abortion law prohibits the procedure past roughly six weeks into pregnancy, according to Fox News.