Appeals court upholds judge’s ban of Missouri abortion rules
By: Lucas Geisler
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) -
A Missouri judge's decision to strike down numerous state laws that restricted abortion access can stand, a panel of judges ruled Tuesday morning.
Three judges with the Western District Court of Appeals released their unanimous ruling on Tuesday, upholding a Jackson County judge's decision to strike the laws following a voter-approved measure on abortion. The attorney general's office asked the court to reverse Judge Jerri Zhang's preliminary injunction in September.
Planned Parenthood and the state have been in court since late 2024, just a month after voters passed Amendment 3. The measure enshrined reproductive rights in the state constitution, including access to abortion. Planned Parenthood sued in December 2024, and won a preliminary injunction striking several state laws that restricted when and under what circumstances people could get abortions.
The court said Judge Zhang's preliminary ruling "does not reflect a ruling that is so arbitrary and unreasonable as to shock the sense of justice or otherwise indicate a lack of careful consideration."
"Missouri voters approved Section 36 of the Missouri Constitution through the democratic process, demonstrating a clear intent to establish 'a fundamental right to reproductive freedom' that 'shall not [be] den[ied] or infringe[d]' by the Government," the judges wrote. "It is in the public interest to prevent violation of those constitutional rights."
Planned Parenthood and the ACLU are both still asking Judge Zhang to roll back rules restricting medication abortion in the state. The groups said in an emailed statement on Tuesday that they would continue that fight.
"The court rejected this attempt by the Attorney General, and is continuing to allow Missourians to exercise their constitutional right to access abortion care where they live," the statement said. "We will continue fighting for the full implementation of the Right to Reproductive Freedom Initiative, including medication abortion.”
Both sides of the abortion debate are preparing for another ballot issue battle in 2026. The state legislature passed a joint resolution in May asking voters to roll back the 2024 measure.
