Official Georgia state legislature records

Judge Robert McBurney Strikes Down Georgia's Six-Week Abortion Ban, Restoring Access Up to 22 Weeks

Sep 30, 2024, 07:59 PM

A Georgia state court judge, Robert McBurney, has struck down the state's six-week abortion ban, ruling it unconstitutional under the Georgia Constitution's rights to privacy and liberty. The ban, which took effect in July 2022 after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, had prohibited abortions beyond approximately six weeks of pregnancy. Judge McBurney's decision restores access to abortion up to about 22 weeks of pregnancy, as regulated before the 2019 law took effect. In his ruling, McBurney stated, "Liberty in Georgia includes in its meaning, the power of a woman to control her own body." The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) hailed the decision as "a victory for our right to abortion." The ban had been in the spotlight after two pregnant patients died after terminating pregnancies.