(Des Moines, IA) Attorneys representing the State of Iowa in the lawsuit over the “Heartbeat Law” have today agreed – or “stipulated” – to a temporary injunction prohibiting the law from going into effect on July 1 as scheduled until the full case can be heard in court.
The fetal heartbeat abortion ban was passed by the Iowa Legislature this session and signed into law by Governor Kim Reynolds. Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the ACLU of Iowa filed a lawsuit shortly after the bill was signed into law.
Martin Cannon of the Thomas More Society will represent the State and defend the Heartbeat Law at the anticipated full hearing some months away. He explained in a statement why attorneys consented to the temporary halt in the law’s enforcement:
“I very much appreciate your prayers and support in this challenge before us. After much discussion, considerable thought, and a lot of our own prayers, we have agreed … to place the heartbeat bill on hold until the challenge to it can be heard on its merits instead of in the shortened hearing that precedes a temporary injunction,” Cannon said.
Choosing this path, Cannon explained, “We’ll get to a proper hearing sooner, and our prospects for ultimate success are better.”
The Coalition of Pro-Life Leaders issued the following statement:
The Heartbeat Law will save babies’ lives when enforced, and while it’s delayed, those babies will tragically die. That’s horrible.
But the process gave pro-life attorneys too little time to build their best case. And we’re not going to play into that game. Babies’ lives are too precious to put up a rushed legal defense.
Remember, we have to take the long view. This case was never going to be concluded this week. And we’re confident that when the process plays out, and when the American people have the chance to hear all the facts, they’ll see that the child in the womb … she’s a baby. And neither a just government, nor a just society, can tolerate the killing of innocent babies.
Acceptance of the stipulation would preclude the need for the previously scheduled June 1 preliminary injunction hearing on the case. The date of the full hearing, scheduled before Iowa District Court Judge Michael Huppert, has not yet been announced.