Idaho abortion ban ruled unconstitutional by federal judge

A U.S. District Judge has ruled that Idaho’s near-total abortion ban is unconstitutional because it fails to provide sufficient exceptions for protecting the broader health of pregnant women. In an 81-page ruling, Judge Lynn Winmill stated that the right to abortion for health-preserving reasons is protected by the 14th Amendment, which guarantees due process and equal protection.

The ruling blocks the enforcement of two Idaho laws that prevented doctors from providing abortion care to patients with serious medical conditions, including mental health issues that increase the risk of self-harm or suicide. This marks the first time a federal judge has recognized a constitutional right to abortion in specific circumstances since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.

Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador announced plans to appeal the decision, claiming the judge “legislated from the bench and manufactured a new constitutional right to abortion.” The legal challenge was brought by Stacy Seyb, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist.