Tennessee women fight to block state’s abortion ban after being denied treatment for dangerous pregnancies

A Tennessee court is hearing arguments today over a temporary block of thestate’s abortion ban, months after a request filed by seven women who were denied abortions and two doctors in the state who have been unable to perform the procedure.

A three-judge panel heard oral arguments on 4 April in Blackmon v. State of Tennessee after lawyers from the Center for Reproductive Rights, representing the plaintiffs, filed a motion on 8 January requesting a temporary injunction on the state’s near-total abortion ban.

Attorneys have asked for “clarity” on the medical exceptions to the ban, referring to seven women who were “denied necessary and potentially life-saving medical care” because doctors are hamstrung by the law’s “vague” language.

The ban, the group wrote, “is preventing pregnant women across Tennessee from receiving medically necessary abortion care, resulting in an ongoing public health crisis.” The ban violates the state’s constitution, the lawyers claimed.

The attorneys slammed the law’s “ambiguity” when it comes to the medical exceptions to the abortion ban not only for patients, but for doctors. The ban’s “harsh penalties have chilled physicians from performing most medically necessary abortions,” they wrote.

“A declaratory judgment is necessary to give physicians the clarity they need to provide medically necessary abortion care to their patients without fear of imprisonment and loss of their medical licenses,” the filing states.

The ban has been in effect since August 2022 — just two months after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade.

Thursday’s hearing over a temporary injunction is just one step in a lengthy process.

The nine plaintiffs — Nicole Blackmon, Allie Phillips, Katy Dulong, Monica Kelly, Kathryn