Results: Texas Supreme Court Rules Against Woman Who Sought Court-Approved Abortion

The Texas Supreme Court on Monday overturned a lower court order allowing an abortion for a pregnant woman whose fetus was diagnosed with a fatal condition. The court ruled that the lower court made a mistake in ruling that the woman, Kate Cox, who is more than 20 weeks pregnant, was entitled to a medical exception. Texas' overlapping bans allow for abortions only when a pregnancy seriously threatens the health or life of the woman. Ms. Cox's fetus received a diagnosis of trisomy 18, a genetic abnormality that in all but rare cases results in miscarriage, stillbirth or an infant's death within the first year after birth. Her lawyers and her doctor argued that carrying the pregnancy to term risked her health and her future ability to have children. Lawyers for state attorney general's office argued that the standard for determining what constitutes a serious threat was clear: a doctor's "reasonable medical judgment" that a pregnancy posed such a risk; they said Ms. Cox did not meet that threshold. Do you agree or disagree with the Texas Supreme Court's decision in this case?

Under Texas law, a doctor convicted of performing an illegal abortion can face a prison term of up to 99 years and fines of at least $100,000. Regardless of if you agree with abortion in the first question, do you agree with the possible sentence and fines for a doctor performing an illegal abortion?