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Judge denies Planned Parenthood request to pause abortion ban ruling

Most abortions are still outlawed in Arizona. A Superior Court judge on Friday denied Planned Parenthood’s request to temporarily suspend the ruling that put Arizona’s near-total abortion ban back into effect. 

After Superior Court Judge Kellie Johnson  ruled last week that the Civil War-era abortion ban could once again be enforced, Planned Parenthood Arizona filed an appeal. And lawyers for the organization  asked the judge to stay the ruling so that abortions could continue in Arizona while the case moves through court.

The abortion ban makes exceptions only if the life of the pregnant person is at risk. Planned Parenthood's lawyers argued that Arizona doctors now don’t know when it’s legal to intervene.

Pima County Attorney Laura Conover joined Planned Parenthood's request for a stay.  She told KJZZ News, “We now have conflict in the law, and providers pausing with doubt and asking themselves, ‘Is this patient sick enough?’”

But  the judge ruled a stay was not appropriate because Planned Parenthood did not demonstrate probable success in its appeal.

Even though the stay has been denied, Planned Parenthood said it would continue with the appeals process.

"The court has refused to provide any clarity or relief," Brittany Fonteno, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Arizona, said in a press release. "We will continue to defend reproductive freedom for all. The fight to restore abortion access to Arizonans is far from over.”

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Katherine Davis-Young is a senior field correspondent reporting on a variety of issues, including public health and climate change.