The U.S. Supreme Court will embark Monday on the first chapter of a legal saga over abortion that could see the nationwide right to the procedure sharply limited in coming months.
It will mark a fresh legal look at a socially divisive issue, with a 6-3 conservative high court majority poised for a politically-charged ruling.
The justices over the next month will hear separate challenges to restrictions on abortion access enacted by Mississippi – with its ban after 15 weeks of pregnancy – and Texas – with a more restrictive six-week ban.
The Texas dispute will be heard first, in two hours of oral arguments Monday, which will be more procedural in nature, and not likely to address the key question of whether the state law’s restrictions on most abortions are constitutional.
That high-stakes debate will happen Dec. 1, when Mississippi’s law will be argued before the nine justices. The state wants key Supreme Court precedents permitting abortions, known as Roe (1973) and Casey (1992) – struck down entirely.
AUSTIN, TX – SEPT 1: Pro-choice protesters march outside the Texas State Capitol on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021 in Austin, TX. Texas passed SB8 which effectively bans nearly all abortions and it went into effect Sept. 1. A request to the Supreme Court to block the bill went unanswered and the Court still has yet to take any action on it. (Sergio Flores For The Washington Post via Getty Images)
(Sergio Flores For The Washington Post via Getty Images)
TEXAS ‘FETAL HEARTBEAT’ ABORTION LAW REINSTATED BY APPEALS COURT RULING
The opportunity for a sweeping pivot on abortion – at a time when the high court’s own reputation and legitimacy is threatened – could be tempered by an unpredictable, cautious court that has shown it is not always eager to speak along sharp ideological lines. That may produce split rulings, with uncertain lasting impact.
“I’m sure that the chief justice would rather go fairly slowly. That tends to be his inclination in…
Source : foxnews
