Abortion is currently legal in Georgia up to 20 weeks after fertilization, but that could soon change with a ruling from the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. In 2019, Gov. Brian Kemp signed a new law into effect that bans most abortions six weeks or so after fertilization. The federal court indicated it would wait to rule on Georgia’s law until after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which it did last month.
Georgia’s Attorney General Chris Carr has requested the 11th Circuit to allow the new restrictive ban to go into effect.
The 11th Circuit has asked all parties to the Sistersong et al v. Kemp case to submit more materials by mid-July. A ruling could soon follow.
In the meantime, the Savannah Medical Clinic announced it would close after 40 years. Just days after the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling, the clinic said on its website it was no longer taking appointments.
Enforcing abortion bans will fall heavily on local district attorneys. Get more on what some metro Atlanta district attorneys are saying about how they will or will not enforce restrictive new measures.
