A Texas judge gave abortion clinics a small victory Friday by granting a temporary restraining order that protected employees at Planned Parenthood clinics across the state from being sued by employees at Right to Life Texas.
The decision, made by Judge Maya Guerra Gamble, does not mean the recent ban on abortions after six weeks will not go into effect but rather prevents anti-abortion activists from suing abortion clinics.
“The Court finds that S.B. 8 creates a probable, irreparable, and imminent injury in the interim for which plaintiffs and their physicians, staff and patients throughout Texas have no adequate remedy at law if plaintiffs, their physicians, and staff are subjected to private enforcement lawsuits against them under S.B. 8,” Gamble wrote in her ruling.
The verdict comes after Texas passed a law that prohibits abortion after a heartbeat can be heard, which is usually around six weeks. The Texas law also allowed people to sue those who helped with an abortion after six weeks, thereby making organizations such as Planned Parenthood liable for lawsuits.
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In an attempt to block the new law, employees at abortion clinics took the case to the Supreme Court, but the court declined to hear it in a 5-4 ruling. The court said the ruling was because of procedural issues rather than the constitutionality of the case.
The Texas law is controversial because of the historic ruling in Roe v. Wade that protects women’s access to an abortion.
In a statement released after the ruling, Planned Parenthood assured those in favor of abortion that although Friday was a victory, the fight was not over.
“This restraining order offers protection to the brave health care providers and staff at Planned Parenthood health centers throughout Texas, who have continued to offer care as best they can within the law while facing surveillance, harassment, and threats from vigilantes eager to stop them,” Helene Krasnoff said on behalf of Planned Parenthood. “But make no mistake: this is not enough relief for Texas. Planned Parenthood will continue fighting for the millions of Texans affected by S.B. 8, doing everything we can under the law to restore Texans’ federal constitutional right to access abortion.”
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In a similar manner, Right to Life Vice President Elizabeth Graham told followers that the new ruling, although a setback, was not the end, according to the Hill.
“This lawsuit will not stop the work of Texas Right to Life,” Graham said. “Estimates are that approximately 150 babies per day are being saved because of Texas Right to Life’s leadership on the Texas Heartbeat Act. Planned Parenthood can keep suing us, but Texas Right to Life will never back down from protecting pregnant women and pre-born children from abortion.”
The restraining order is set to expire in two weeks; however, a hearing will take place on Sept. 13.
