The Texas Supreme Court on Friday rejected a closely watched challenge to the state’s restrictive abortion ban, ruling against a group of women who had serious pregnancy complications and became the first in the U.S. to testify in court about being denied abortions since Roe v. Wade was overturned.

In a unanimous ruling, the all-Republican court upheld the Texas law that opponents say is too vague when it comes to when medically necessary exceptions are allowed. The same issue was at the center of a separate lawsuit brought last year by Kate Cox, a mother of two from Dallas, who sought court permission to obtain an abortion after her fetus developed a fatal condition during a pregnancy that resulted in multiple trips to an emergency room.

Abortion rights activists have struggled to stem the tide of restrictions that have taken effect in most Republican-led states since the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022 overturned Roe vs Wade, which for nearly 50 years had affirmed the constitutional right to an abortion.

The court said the law’s exceptions, as written, are broad enough and that doctors would be misinterpreting the law if they declined to perform an abortion when the mother’s life is in danger.

  • TachyonTele@lemm.ee
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    6 months ago

    "Texas law permits a life-saving abortion,” the court wrote in the order signed by Justice Jane Bland.

    Under the law in Texas, doctors who perform abortions risk life in prison, fines of up to $100,000 and revocation of their state medical licenses.

    Hmmmm

    • ReallyActuallyFrankenstein@lemmynsfw.com
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      6 months ago

      It’s hard for me to choose the more likely theory:

      (1) That these judges are so deluded that they think this is reasonable; or (2) That these judges are making the argument that it’s possible to get an abortion in bad faith because that means justifies the end of keeping a law on the books that prevents effectively all abortions.

      • Neato@ttrpg.network
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        6 months ago

        Stupid or malicious. I trend towards malicious these days. Too much info to be that stupid that often.

      • QuaternionsRock@lemmy.world
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        6 months ago

        Or they’re interpreting the law as written without context so they can get home by lunch, just like every other originalist.

      • samus12345@lemmy.world
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        6 months ago

        They think abortion is murder for religious reasons and are doing everything in their power to discourage them from happening.

    • Schadrach@lemmy.sdf.org
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      6 months ago

      That’s kinda the point - Texas permits a life-saving abortion, but is super vague as to what counts as “life-saving” and if it’s not life-saving **enough ** then comes the extreme punishment.

    • DominusOfMegadeus
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      6 months ago

      The doctor has to do it just right. Otherwise straight to jail - Texas Supreme Court, probably

      • TachyonTele@lemm.ee
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        6 months ago

        If they mess up the game Operation buzzer goes off and state troopers immediately bust in.

        • DominusOfMegadeus
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          6 months ago

          Unless they suspect there is any sort of danger inside. In which case they mill around outside the OR and prevent anyone else from entering.

    • مهما طال الليل@lemm.ee
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      6 months ago

      Under the law in Texas, doctors who perform abortions risk life in prison, fines of up to $100,000 and revocation of their state medical licenses.

      This is excessive. Way too much. Cruel and unusual punishment is against the US constitution.

      Seriously, just consider the following from bad evil theocratic authoritarian Saudi Arabia:

      Expat doctor, nurse arrested in Saudi Arabia over unsafe abortions

      The Ministry of Health in Riyadh referred the two medical professionals to the public prosecutor, and they face imprisonment for up to six months and a fine of up to $26,000 (100,000 riyals).

      • JimSamtanko@lemm.ee
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        6 months ago

        My girlfriend and I were in poverty living in Florida 8 years ago- both on minimum wage. We managed to move to Seattle. Aside from situations beyond one’s control, I assure you it’s VERY possible.

        • BigFig@lemmy.world
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          This entirely survivorship bias. And beside that, why SHOULD we have to leave? This is my fucking state too. Born and raised here, family history here. Why should I have to give all that up because some dipshit Republicans want to turn us into a shithole.

          • JimSamtanko@lemm.ee
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            6 months ago

            Because sometimes- things aren’t worth saving. I bailed on Florida when Florida bailed on:

            • LGBTQ+

            • women

            •education

            • living wages

            • mental health

            • gun control

            • common sense

            • humanity

            I couldn’t help feeling like sticking around was essentially supporting everything I stand adamantly against. Now- not a single penny of mine is paid for bigots to hurt people any more.

            And I sleep so much better for it.

          • pyre@lemmy.world
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            6 months ago

            well it’s not that they want to turn it into a shithole, it’s that they did turn it into a shithole decades ago and it’s getting worse.

            but i agree that the previous comment is survivorship bias and anyone thinking that just moving out of a state is easy has not really thought about much at all.

        • bolexforsoup@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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          Aside from situations beyond one’s control

          This is not as clearly defined and narrow as you’re making it out to be. This can also include economic hardship.

          • JimSamtanko@lemm.ee
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            6 months ago

            It’s not as broad and across the board either. There’s nuance to everthing. I’m not suggesting it’s possible for everyone. My original question wasn’t to be taken literally. It was just exasperation and frustration over the situation

      • JimSamtanko@lemm.ee
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        6 months ago

        We didn’t either. But we saved for a few years, and found a cheap place to gain a foothold until we could do better for ourselves. Schools in Washington aren’t too bad.

    • snooggums@midwest.social
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      If they were really opposed to this they would have voted out the Republicans decades ago. This is what they want because it hasn’t happened to them personally and they only care about themselves.

  • Starkstruck@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    I wonder what Texas will do when all the doctors leave to work in states that won’t arrest them for saving lives.

    • Tyfud@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      Complain harder about woke ideologue as they blame liberals for shunning their perfect state.

      I say this as a recent transplant out of spending almost 2 decades in Texas.

      Couldn’t get out of there soon enough. So happy we left.

      • Jakeroxs
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        6 months ago

        Where’d you go instead? Also looking to move elsewhere as my home state slides further into theocratic hell

        • Tyfud@lemmy.world
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          6 months ago

          We’re up in Colorado, near the Denver area now. Much, much, much, much better. This state isn’t batshit insane.

          • Jakeroxs
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            6 months ago

            Really? That’s literally exactly where we were planning to go, just have heard some bad things about the crime rate and cost of living, not to mention being much colder.

            • Tyfud@lemmy.world
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              6 months ago

              It’s cold at night, and warm during the day. But yeah, it is more expensive up here.

              • kent_eh@lemmy.ca
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                6 months ago

                I guess we shouldn’t be surprised that more desirable places to live can be more expensive. Demand does often drive prices up.

                • Tyfud@lemmy.world
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                  Yeah, for sure. If you ever want any help/advice/etc. about moving up here if that’s in your cards at some point, feel free to HMU. My wife and I just went through it, as did 2 of my friends who transplanted out of the Austin area to here.

                  It’s better on the other side, for sure.

                  There’s still a lot of trump/MAGA crazies up here, because they’re roughly 30% of the voting US population; but they lack any real governing or decision making power in the state, and losing more every day.

                  We vote by mail, with a guide that tells you the full details (in a large packet) of what every single law, bond, etc. means and how it could affect you along with the background on how that law got onto the ballot.

                  Then you just drop it off at the post office box and you’re done. It’s amazing how easy it is to vote compared to Texas.

                  And that’s just one of the many things that’s better. :)

            • Match!!@pawb.social
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              6 months ago

              the whole state is very good actually, even the redder parts imo, so find somewhere you can afford if denver is too much

          • Crikeste@lemm.ee
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            6 months ago

            I was gonna say something contradicting you, but I have no place to do so coming from Utah lmao

    • Match!!@pawb.social
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      6 months ago

      some dudebro will make an app for crowdsourced “Health Experts” who look you over briefly and then prescribe opiates. it will cost $300 out of pocket and AI will be involved somehow

      • kent_eh@lemmy.ca
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        6 months ago

        some dudebro will make an app for crowdsourced “Health Experts” who look you over briefly and then prescribe opiates.

        “Well, don’t want to sound like a dick or nothin’, but, ah… it says on your chart that you’re fucked up. Ah, you talk like a fag, and your shit’s all retarded. What I’d do, is just like… like… you know, like, you know” what I mean, like…

  • werefreeatlast@lemmy.world
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    I again would request for all the big big Texas pussy to shut down until the law is aborted. Can’t have pussy if you’re not going to take care of it.

  • LopensLeftArm
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    I am eternally grateful to have escaped Texas, the way they are treating women is utterly unconscionable.

  • Maple Engineer@lemmy.world
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    Get ready, America. Van loads of morality police beating women on the street for not dressing conservatively are in your future.

    • BigFig@lemmy.world
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      Really depends if my fellow Texas men actually love their wives or not. I’m not quite sure that they do…

      • eestileib
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        Conservative women hate women just as much as the men do, that’s the impressive bit.

        • TachyonTele@lemm.ee
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          They can definitely have the whole “I got mine” ideology down like bedrock in their souls.

        • Schadrach@lemmy.sdf.org
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          Conservative women hate women just as much as the men do, that’s the impressive bit.

          I mean, so long as you define “hating women” to mean “opposing abortion” then sex isn’t really relevant to who hates women - despite some folks who pretend otherwise it really isn’t a men vs women issue, men are pro choice at about the same rate as women.

          • prole
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            mean, so long as you define “hating women” to mean “opposing abortion”

            I do. Next question.

      • troglodytis@lemmy.world
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        They absolutely completely love the mothers of their children. And they promise to take extra special care of them and make the best decisions for their family. 🤮

    • GlendatheGayWitch@lemmy.world
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      It could happen if we could get more people to the polls.

      In 2020, there were 21.5 million people in the voting age population, of which 16.95 million were registered to vote, and of those 11.3 million cast a vote. Of the votes, Trump receuved 5,890,347 votes and Biden received 5,259,126.

      Hopefully we will have even better turnout this Oct/Nov. We were the first state to have an in-person early voting period and unfortunately, over 40 years later, isn’t well-utilized.

      For those in TX, the last day to register to vote is Oct 7.

      Voting goes from October 21-Nov 1, with one final day to cast your vote on Nov 5.

      Applications to vote by mail must be received by Oct 25.

      Check your registration status, local polling locations and hours, important dates, and other election information at the link below.

      https://www.votetexas.gov/mobile/index.htm

        • GlendatheGayWitch@lemmy.world
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          Thats interesting, i hadn’t heard that before! Looks like Biden received 5,244,103 votes in New York, which is 15,023 less than he received in TX.

          Looks like TX just needs more of the urban population to turnout to cou tractor the red rural parts.

        • samus12345@lemmy.world
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          And more people in California voted for Trump than in any other state. Numbers don’t matter, percentages do.