South Carolina Supreme Court Upholds Abortion Law, Reversing Earlier Decision
The South Carolina Supreme Court has upheld the state’s new near-total ban on abortion, reversing a decision made earlier this year. The ruling, made by a newly all-male bench, allows the state’s new six-week abortion ban to take effect.
The decision comes as no surprise, as the makeup of the bench had changed since the previous decision, and Republicans in the State Legislature had passed a new abortion law in the hopes of finding a more favorable audience with the new court. The previous decision, made in January, was written by the court’s only female justice, who has since retired, leaving South Carolina with the nation’s only all-male high court.
The court’s decision acknowledged the right to privacy in the State Constitution, but stated that the Legislature had addressed the concerns raised in the previous law and had “balanced” the interests of pregnant women with those of the fetus. Justice John Kittredge, writing for the majority, acknowledged that the new law infringes on a woman’s right to privacy and bodily autonomy but stated that the legislature had made a policy determination that, at a certain point in the pregnancy, a woman’s interest in autonomy and privacy does not outweigh the interest of the unborn child to live.
The new law bans abortion after
How does the South Carolina Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the new abortion law impact women’s reproductive rights in the state?
South Carolina Supreme Court Allows New Abortion Law to Take Effect
In a recent decision, the South Carolina Supreme Court upheld the state’s new near-total ban on abortion, reversing a previous ruling. The decision was made by a newly constituted all-male bench, sparking debate and concern.
This outcome was largely expected, as the composition of the bench had changed since the earlier decision. In addition, the State Legislature passed a new abortion law in hopes of aligning with the new court’s perspectives. Sadly, South Carolina now has the only all-male high court in the nation following the retirement of the only female justice who wrote the previous decision in January.
While the Supreme Court’s decision did recognize the right to privacy enshrined in the State Constitution, it also argued that the Legislature had adequately addressed the concerns raised in the previous law. The majority opinion, penned by Justice John Kittredge, acknowledged that the new law does infringe on a woman’s right to privacy and bodily autonomy. However, it stated that the Legislature had made a policy decision, finding that the interests of an unborn child to live eventually outweigh a woman’s interests in autonomy and privacy.
The controversial new law effectively bans abortion after six weeks of pregnancy and is now set to take effect. This ruling has sparked intense discussion about reproductive rights and the potential implications for women in the state.
This is a significant step forward in protecting the rights of the unborn. #ProLife
This decision sets a dangerous precedent that undermines reproductive rights and bodily autonomy. #ProChoice