Judge grants more time to Miss. abortion clinic - Action News 5 - Memphis, Tennessee

By EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS
Associated Press

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - The future of Mississippi's only clinic that provides abortions is unclear after a federal judge's ruling in a closely watched court case.

U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III ruled Friday that a strict abortion law passed by the Republican-controlled legislature can take effect, but he gave the Jackson Women's Health Organization clinic more time to comply with the law's requirements and said it won't face any criminal or civil penalties as it tries to do so.

The law requires anyone who performs abortions at the clinic to be an OB-GYN with privileges to admit patients to a local hospital. The clinic's two out-of-state OB-GYNS don't have those privileges and have had difficulty getting them from local hospitals.

Both sides claimed partial victory Friday.

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