North Dakota judge won’t block part of abortion law doctors say puts them at risk of prosecution

By JACK DURA
Associated Press

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A North Dakota judge won’t block a part of a state law that doctors say puts them at risk of prosecution if they perform an abortion to save a patient’s life or health. The judge ruled Tuesday, but the lawsuit will continue to play out in court. A jury trial is set for August. Doctors argue a provision that allows abortions in lifesaving or “serious health risk” scenarios is vague. The North Dakota’s Republican-led Legislature this year passed a bill that essentially revised the state’s abortion laws after the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision striking down the constitutional right to an abortion.