A hearing is set for Monday afternoon before the Hamilton County common pleas judge who suspended the state’s six-week abortion ban until September 28.
Lawyers for abortion providers and for the state will meet with Judge Christian Jenkins on the next steps in the case involving the ban that went into effect the same day the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the federal right to abortion.
The ACLU of Ohio’s Freda Levenson represents the abortion providers, and said this is likely the first of multiple steps, since whoever loses will almost certainly go to the appeals court.
“And after a ruling from that court, I think, given the importance of the question, the losing side would appeal to the state supreme court," Levenson said.
Clinics in Dayton and Columbus will resume medical and surgical abortions this week, with near-total abortion bans now in effect in Indiana and Kentucky and strict new limits in West Virginia.
The ban is on hold while the judge considers the merits of the overall case, Levenson said.
“The purpose of the 14-day period is so that the judge can make a further determination as to whether or not to issue a preliminary injunction, which would be a longer hold on the law,” she said.
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