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Supreme Court rules to allow emergency abortions in Idaho

A document uploaded to the Supreme Court's website on Wednesday forecast the decision.
Supreme Court
Posted at 8:30 AM, Jun 27, 2024

The Supreme Court officially ruled on Thursday to allow emergency abortion in Idaho.

The 6-3 decision in Moyle v. United States was expected after a document foreshadowing the opinion was briefly posted to the Supreme Court's website on Wednesday.

The document, which was first reported by Bloomberg, showed that the court would dismiss Idaho's appeal of a lower court's decision that allowed emergency abortions to protect the health of a mother.

The law in question states that the procedure is only allowed if "necessary to prevent the death of the pregnant woman." There is an exception for victims of rape and incest, but only in the first trimester.

The Biden administration challenged the law, saying it conflicts with federal regulations — specifically the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA).

It requires emergency rooms to treat patients in active labor and provide stabilizing care. The Biden administration argued that includes abortion if necessary.