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PAYTON GALL, KSJB LOCAL NEWS –
The North Dakota Supreme Court heard arguments on Thursday regarding the state’s abortion ban, which was overturned earlier this year by a district court judge. The state is seeking to reinstate the ban while an appeal is pending.
A group of reproductive health providers and the state’s only abortion clinic, which has now moved to Moorhead, the Red River Women’s clinic, filed a lawsuit and went on trial challenging the ban in September. The district court judge ruled the ban unconstitutional, citing its vague and confusing language.
The state argued on Thursday that the district court’s ruling was flawed and that the North Dakota Constitution does not guarantee the right to an abortion. They also contended that the ban would not harm anyone as there are currently no abortion providers operating within the state.
However, attorneys representing the plaintiffs countered that the ban violates the rights of both doctors and patients. They emphasized the confusion surrounding the specific restrictions that can be enforced after the district court’s ruling and highlighted the potential dangers of the remaining abortion restrictions.
The North Dakota Supreme Court will now consider the arguments presented and decide whether to uphold the district court’s ruling or reinstate the abortion ban.
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