Federal Judge Grants Motion Allowing Abortions To Continue In Tennessee

A federal judge on Friday granted a motion allowing abortion clinics to resume abortions during the coronavirus crisis.

Governor Bill Lee had earlier put down an order limiting "non emergency" health care procedures.

The Center for Reproductive Rights, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the American Civil Liberties Union and the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee had combined to seek the motion.

Judge Bernard Friedman wrote, “Moreover, abortion is a time-sensitive procedure. Delaying a woman’s access to abortion even by a matter of days can result in her having to undergo a lengthier and more complex procedure that involves progressively greater health risks, or can result in her losing the right to obtain an abortion altogether. Therefore, plaintiffs have demonstrated that enforcement of EO-25 causes them irreparable harm.”