Federal Judge Blocks Alabama’s Abortion Travel Prosecution
A federal judge blocked Alabama’s attorney general from prosecuting individuals assisting Alabamans in obtaining out-of-state abortions, citing violations of First Amendment rights and the right to interstate travel. The ruling, a victory for the Yellowhammer Fund and other plaintiffs, prevents the enforcement of Alabama’s anti-conspiracy laws against those facilitating access to abortion services in other states. This decision comes in response to the attorney general’s suggestion that such actions could be prosecuted, despite the state’s complete abortion ban. The judge’s opinion emphasizes the difference between regulating in-state conduct and attempting to extra-territorially enforce state values.
John Q. Hosedrinker