Judge Rules Wyoming’s First-in-the-Nation Abortion Pill Ban Must Be Suspended While Lawsuit is Resolved

On Thursday, a judge in Wyoming ruled that the state’s first-in-the-nation law to ban abortion pills will not take effect on July 1 as planned. This ruling comes as a result of a lawsuit that is still pending.

In March, Wyoming became the first U.S. state to specifically ban abortion pills, while other states have instituted de facto bans on the medication by broadly prohibiting abortion. The attorneys for Wyoming failed to show that allowing the ban to take effect on schedule wouldn’t harm the lawsuit’s plaintiffs before their lawsuit can be resolved.

Judge Melissa Owens ruled that the ban must be suspended while the lawsuit is being resolved. This ruling means that abortion pills will remain legal in Wyoming for the time being.

The lawsuit was brought by the American Civil Liberties Union of Wyoming and Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains. The lawsuit argues that the ban is unconstitutional and would cause irreparable harm to patients seeking abortion care.

The judge’s ruling is a victory for reproductive rights advocates in Wyoming, who have been fighting for access to abortion care. The lawsuit is ongoing and the outcome will determine the future of abortion access in the state.