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Indiana Court of Appeals blocks Attorney General’s request for expedited decision on abortion ban

By Ethan Sandweiss, IPB News | Published on in Government, Health, Law, Politics
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita (Alan Mbathi/IPB News)

The Court of Appeals of Indiana has rejected Attorney General Todd Rokita’s request for an expedited response on Indiana’s abortion ban.

The near-total ban was blocked in a lower court ruling by Judge Kelsey Hanlon last Thursday and is temporarily halted.

Rokita appealed Hanlon’s ruling Friday, filing an emergency motion with the appellate court on behalf of the Medical Licensing Board of Indiana.

Writing to the appellate court, Rokita and other lawyers wrote the court “should not further postpone the resolution of an issue of immense legal, political, and practical significance to the State and its people.”  The filing argued that only the Supreme Court could provide the final word on the case.

The decision to reject that argument was signed by Appellate Court Judge Cale Bradford.  Three other judges concurred.

This means the ban remains halted for now and abortion is legal for anyone up to 20 weeks, without needing to provide a reason. Other pre-existing regulations are also in effect, including provisions that require two separate trips to an abortion care provider, an ultrasound, informed consent and parental consent for those under age 18.