Georgia's Republican attorney general has filed an appeal to challenge a recent ruling that invalidated the state's abortion ban. The appeal was made to the Georgia Supreme Court by Attorney General Chris Carr's office, seeking to reinstate the law that prohibited most abortions after the first six weeks of pregnancy while the court reviews the state's appeal.
The ruling in question was issued by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney, who declared the ban, implemented in 2022, as a violation of women's rights to liberty and privacy under Georgia's state constitution. As a result of the ruling, the abortion restrictions in Georgia have reverted to a previous law that permitted abortions until viability, typically around 22 to 24 weeks into a pregnancy.
Following the judge's decision, some clinic officials in Georgia have announced their readiness to accept patients whose pregnancies have progressed beyond six weeks, although they acknowledge the possibility of the ban being reinstated swiftly.
Carr's office emphasized in its appeal notice filed on Tuesday that the case has been escalated directly to Georgia's highest court due to its nature involving a challenge to the constitutionality of a state law.
With this recent development, the ruling has left 13 U.S. states with complete bans on abortion at all stages of pregnancy, along with three states that prohibit abortions after the initial six weeks of pregnancy.
