U.S. Federal Court Strikes Down Mississippi's 15-week Abortion Ban

Last Friday, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled against a Mississippi law that would have banned abortions in the state after 15 weeks. The unanimous Fifth Circuit decision upheld a district court ruling that had also blocked the law. In its opinion, the court stated that under current precedent, states "may regulate abortion procedures prior to viability so long as they do not impose an undue burden on the woman's right, but they may not ban abortions." 

This decision continues the trend of federal courts striking down laws that would ban abortions prior to viability. To read more about the states' efforts to pass these types of pro-life protections, please see the latest edition of the MCC Messenger.