LANSING, Mich. — It was a chaotic and confusing week here in Michigan over the issue of abortion.
On Monday, the Michigan Court of Appeals declined a request to overturn a Court of Claims judge's injunction that is halting the state’s 1931 abortion law for taking effect. But in the same ruling, the court found that county prosecutors do not fall under the jurisdiction of the Court of Claims, so they can enforce the state’s abortion ban.
“This created an overabundance of chaos and confusion and uncertainty," said Paula Thornton Greer the CEO of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan.
The Court of Appeals told Right to Life Michigan and the Michigan Catholic Conference that they did not have grounds to appeal the injunction against the 1931 abortion law, but the court also found that the injunction does not apply to county prosecutors.
“So to address that, Gov. Whitmer stepped in and asked an Oakland County judge to grant a temporary restraining specific to the 13 county prosecutors where jurisdictions over counties who had jurisdiction over counties with abortion providers," Greer said. "That restraining order was granted Monday afternoon.”
You’ll remember from our reporting that two county prosecutors right here in mid-Michigan have indicated they would prosecute abortion providers, Jackson County Prosecutor Jerry Jarzynka and Eaton County Prosecutor Doug Lloyd. Jarzynka is one of the prosecuting attorneys who filed the appeal to lift the injunction. Now, at the end of this very busy week, the issue is still pending.
“We asked the Michigan Supreme Court to protect the constitutional right to abortion and preserve access for for patients," Greer said. "So that was the week soon to be behind us.”
Right to Life Michigan tweeted on Thursday arguing against intervention from the courts writing, “There is no real legal argument for blocking [the injunction] the voters of Michigan had their say and until the law is changed, it’s the law. Do judges control our state or the voters?”
There will be more hearings to come, and the voters will likely have a chance to decide whether abortion will be legal here in Michigan during the November general election.
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