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Michigan’s top court urged to quickly address abortion ban

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer urged the Michigan Supreme Court to quickly determine whether abortion will be legal in the state, a few hours after the U.S. Supreme Court ended a national right to abortion.

Abortion in Michigan is legal — for now — because a judge in May suspended a dormant 1931 law that makes it a crime for health care providers unless a woman’s life is at risk.

Whitmer, a Democrat, has been urging the state Supreme Court to swiftly settle the issue by reaching over lower courts and declaring the law illegal under the Michigan Constitution.

She renewed her call, urging the justices to take the case and set a summer schedule for briefs and arguments.

The court’s review is “urgently needed” to end any uncertainty, Assistant Attorney General Linus Banghart-Linn said in a court filing.

Abortion opponents say the 91-year-old law is valid and should stand.

The Supreme Court in May said it wanted more information before deciding whether to step in. Several parties have met a deadline to file documents.

One of the issues: whether to wait for the Michigan Court of Appeals to weigh in on Judge Elizabeth Gleicher’s injunction, which suspended the abortion ban.

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