Justice Department seeks order against Texas abortion law

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department is asking a national tribunal successful Texas to contented a impermanent restraining bid oregon a preliminary injunction against a caller authorities instrumentality that bans astir abortions successful Texas.

The exigency question filed Tuesday nighttime says a tribunal tin contented specified an bid arsenic a means of preventing harm to parties progressive earlier the tribunal tin afloat determine the claims successful the case.

According to the Associated Press, the lawsuit was assigned to U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman.

Last week the Justice Department filed a suit asking the tribunal to state the instrumentality invalid.

The law, known arsenic SB8, prohibits abortions erstwhile aesculapian professionals tin observe cardiac activity. That's usually astir six weeks, earlier immoderate women cognize they're pregnant. The instrumentality does not marque exceptions for pregnancies resulting from rape oregon incest.

In addition, the instrumentality incentivizes backstage citizens to record suit against anyone who whitethorn person assisted successful an amerciable termination — beryllium it a doctor, a unit subordinate astatine a session that provides abortions oregon a rideshare idiosyncratic who drove a pistillate to the clinic. Those who successfully writer tin beryllium awarded $10,000 astatine the disbursal of the defendant.

The instrumentality went into effect connected Sept. 1. Later that day, the Supreme Court ruled successful a 5-4 determination — with Chief Justice John Roberts and the court's 3 wide judges successful dissent — that the instrumentality could instrumentality effect portion entreaty courts see its legality.

President Joe Biden denounced the Supreme Court's decision and promised a "whole-of-government response" to combat the law.