Federal court lawsuit tests Utah abortion law | Salt Lake Tribune

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Federal court lawsuit tests Utah abortion law

By Kirsten Stewart
The Salt Lake Tribune

An abortion-rights group and women's clinic in Utah are suing to block enforcement of a tough new late-term abortion ban they argue is unconstitutional because it allows no exception to preserve the mother's health.

"We are asking for an injunction until three challenges to a mirror federal ban make it through the courts," said Karrie Galloway, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood of Utah, which filed the lawsuit in partnership with the Utah Women's Clinic. "We can't let a law that's enjoined nationally go into effect here. There would be no need for this legal action if legislators and the governor had waited for the federal cases to be decided."

Filed at the close of business on Monday in Utah's Federal District Court, the lawsuit has been assigned to Judge Paul Cassell. It specifically names as defendants: Gov. Olene Walker, Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff and District Attorney David Yocum, the chief prosecutor in Salt Lake County where the women's clinic is located.

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