NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — The State of Louisiana is temporarily prohibited from enforcing its trigger-law ban on abortion.
Orleans Parish Civil District Court Judge Robin Giarrusso granted a temporary restraining order Monday after the Center of Reproductive Rights and Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, along with New Orleans attorney Ellie Schilling, filed a petition and request for emergency relief from the state’s trigger laws on behalf of abortion providers Hope Medical Group for Women and Medical Students for Choice.
“[This] means there will be a hearing to determine whether or not the (judge) will issue a preliminary injunction and, ultimately, a permanent injunction to block the enforcement of the trigger laws,” said WGNO’s legal analyst attorney Cliff Cardone with Cardone Law Firm.
Democratic state representative Mandie Landry says the judge’s decision is a sign of hope for abortion-rights advocates and is a direct response to the state’s trigger laws.
“[The trigger laws] are kind of chaotic and complicated; they weren’t written well,” said Landry. “[The judge] agreed that they are unconstitutionally vague that they don’t have clear procedures on when they go into place.”
There are three abortion clinics in Louisiana. A spokesperson for the one in Shreveport has said publicly they will resume abortions.
“Because this is happening so quickly, I think it’s something they need to decide on their own, and they have to talk to their own attorneys about it and figure out what they’re going to do,” explained Landry. “As the law stands right now on Monday afternoon, they can open.”
Cardone says abortions would be legal if the judge’s decision to restrain the enforcement of the trigger laws is upheld through the courts of appeal and, ultimately, the Louisiana Supreme Court.
“Then, it would go back to the legislature to redefine the actual act itself and get a vote of the entire legislature in applying new rules and new definitions that might be more clear,” said Cardone.
A hearing is scheduled for July 8 at 10 a.m.
Here is the full court order: