Tennessee Judges Protect Doctors Performing Emergency Abortions

A court ruling prevents disciplinary action against doctors for emergency abortions, but criminal charges remain a risk under the state's abortion ban.

A Tennessee three-judge panel ruled that doctors cannot have their licenses revoked for performing emergency abortions to save a mother's life.
The decision clarifies medical necessity exceptions, including conditions like previable preterm premature rupture of membranes and fatal fetal diagnoses.
Despite the ruling, doctors still face potential criminal charges under the state's abortion ban, which carries penalties of up to 15 years in prison.
The lawsuit challenging the abortion ban argues that vague language puts doctors at risk and creates confusion about when abortions can be legally performed.
Reproductive rights advocates see the ruling as a victory, highlighting ongoing legal battles in Republican-dominated states since the 2022 Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade.