In a significant ruling, Teton County District Judge Melissa Owens struck down Wyoming’s ban on abortion and the prohibition on using medication to end pregnancies. The laws were challenged by four women, two obstetricians, and two nonprofit organizations, including Wellspring Health Access, the state’s first full-service abortion clinic. They argued that the bans violated their health, well-being, and livelihoods, citing a state constitutional amendment giving residents the right to make their own health care decisions.
The laws were blocked by the judge for 2.5 years while the case was disputed in court. Owens found that the laws infringed on women’s rights under the state constitution, especially with the explicit ban on abortion pills. Wyoming was the only state with such a prohibition, although other states have de facto bans on the medication by broadly prohibiting abortion.
The lawsuit challenging the abortion bans was set to go to trial in the spring, but Owens’ ruling rendered the trial unnecessary. Both sides had requested the judge to make a decision on the lawsuit, rather than proceeding to trial.
The state’s attorneys argued that health care, under the state amendment, did not include abortion. However, Owens found merit in the plaintiffs’ argument that the bans violated their rights to make their own health care decisions. This landmark ruling marks a victory for reproductive rights in Wyoming and is likely to have a significant impact on abortion laws in the state.
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