DOJ Seeks Emergency Court Order Blocking Texas Anti-Abortion Law

The U.S. Justice Department asked for an emergency court order to block what some view as a restrictive anti-abortion law in Texas, the first of what is likely to be an extended legal battle that reaches all the way to the Supreme Court.

The 47-page request, filed in federal court in Austin late Tuesday, seeks a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction halting enforcement of the law, known as Texas Senate Bill 8, which bars almost all abortions after the sixth week of pregnancy before many women know they are pregnant.

The law deputizes citizens to sue people who perform or aid in the procedure, allowing them to collect at least $10,000 and legal fees if they succeed in court. By leaving it to individuals to enforce the law, Texas government officials sought to avoid lawsuits directed at them.