Arizona judge confirms 1864 anti-abortion law automatically triggered by end of Roe v. Wade is law

All abortions in Arizona are effectively banned after a judge ruled that an 1864 pre-statehood law banning the practice is now the law in the state. 

Friday’s ban is triggered thanks to the Supreme Court’s vote to overturn Roe v Wade in June. 

It will go into effect as of September 24, and will only offer exemptions to pregnant women whose health would be put at risk if they were to continue with their pregnancy. 

Arizona’s 1864 law was automatically triggered after Roe v Wade was axed by the Supreme Court, but an injunction was successfully sought by pro-abortion campaigners.  

The decision from Pima County Superior Court Judge Kellie Johnson came more than a month after she heard arguments on Republican Attorney General Mark Brnovich’s request to lift the injunction.

Johnson said in the ruling: ‘The court finds that because the legal basis for the judgment entered in 1973 has now been overruled, it must vacate the judgment in its entirety,’ according to KGUN.

Following the decision, Brnovich tweeted: ‘A Pima County judge lifted an injunction that was placed on AZ’s abortion statute. We applaud the court for upholding the will of the legislature and providing clarity and uniformity on this important issue. I have and will continue to protect the most vulnerable Arizonans.’ 

The law was originally passed in 1864. In 1901, the language of the law was changed, according to AZ Central. 

The Arizona Comstock Law, named for Christian activist Anthony Comstock, was codified in 1901, nearly 20 years before women were afforded the right to vote in the United States. 

Arizona was not granted statehood until 1912.  

According to AZ Central’s reporting, multiple people, including doctors, were imprisoned for violations of the law prior to Roe v Wade.  

Following the judge’s decision, the state’s AG Mark Brnovich said: ‘I have and will continue to protect the most vulnerable Arizonans’

All abortions in Arizona are effectively banned after a judge ruled that a 1864 pre-statehood law banning the practice is now the law in the state

Republican Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said that she would use discretion in prosecuting victims of rape and incest with regard to the new law. 

Mitchell said: ‘I don’t want to revictimize victim,’ according to KPNX’s Brahm Resnik.

An injunction has long blocked enforcement of a law, on the books since before Arizona became a state, that bans nearly all abortions. The only exemption is if the woman’s life is in jeopardy.

Despite Roe v Wade, the Arizona state legislature reenacted the law on different occasions. The most recent occurrence was in 1977. 

The ruling also means people seeking abortions will have to go to another state to obtain one. 

An appeal of the ruling is likely. The ruling may also effect the state’s tightly contested senate and governor’s races with the mid-term elections looming.   

It had been in place since shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1973 decision in the Roe v. Wade case, which held that women had a constitutional right to abortion.

The high court overturned Roe on June 24 and said states can regulate abortion as they wish.

On June 30, Brnovich tweeted: ‘Our office has concluded the Legislature has made its intentions clear with regards to abortion laws.’

He added: ‘ARS 13-3603 (the pre-statehood law) is back in effect and will not be repealed.’ 

What’s allowed in each state has shifted as legislatures and courts have acted. Bans on abortion at any point in pregnancy are in place in 12 Republican-led states.

In another state, Wisconsin, clinics have stopped providing abortions amid litigation over whether an 1849 ban is in effect. Georgia bans abortions once fetal cardiac activity and be detected and Florida and Utah have bans that kick in after 15 and 18 weeks gestation, respectively.