Judge blocks Utah’s near-total abortion ban for 14 days

The Utah State Capitol building in Salt Lake City. Photo: TownLift // Bailey Edelstein

SALT LAKE CITY — On Monday Utah 3rd District Judge Andrew Stone judge issued a temporary restraining order over Utah’s near-total abortion ban that went into effect on Friday following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

The order is good for 14 days on the so-called trigger law, which bans abortions at any stage with narrow exceptions for rape/incest if reported to police, or if there is a serious threat to the mother’s health. The state law punishes violators with up to 15 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines. Elective abortions are now legal in Utah for the next two weeks. Planned Parenthood resumed abortions in the state on Monday following the ruling.

Similar court decisions have been handed out across the country in Florida and Louisiana.

The Planned Parenthood Association of Utah and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit against the newly imposed state law on Saturday.

Gov. Spencer Cox, Attorney General Sean Reyes, and the head of Utah’s Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing are listed as defendants.

An emergency hearing was held Monday afternoon, which is when the restraining order was granted. Planned Parenthood previously said it had to cancel a dozen abortion appointments on Friday as a result of the new rule.

A preliminary injunction will be scheduled for a later date. The case is likely to go to the Utah Supreme Court.